Incendiary
by Ambroisie-Seduisante
Summary: "What the f*ck are you doing, Eric?" The barrel of the gun was cold and hard on her jaw. 'This is it,' Nina thought. 'I should have shot him when I had the chance.' Eric moved the barrel of the gun across Nina's lips like it was a lover's caress. "I want to make you scream." [[Eric/OC. Slow Burn. Semi-AU]]
1. Spark

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes. **

_**Important One-Time A/N:**_

**There are some things you ought to know about this story before you begin reading.**

**There will be a blend of elements from the novel and film. There will be no Tris but there will be other characters you recognize. I have added original characters, creative elements, and a fresh storyline. My main character will **_**not **_**be Divergent; I take her in a totally new direction instead.**

**Romance will be slow burn. There are times that things heat up but I make it natural. There will be issues that threaten to divide them. Romance is NOT the only plot, there will also be action and suspense.**

**Lastly, I prefer to let my readers form their own mental images of the characters. However, if you like to know my personal inspiration for each character, let me know and I can PM you that information! **

**Please stick around - and most importantly, enjoy :)  
**

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**Chapter 1: Spark**

Nina's fingertips trembled as she surveyed her room for the last time. For over 16 years, she'd slept here, played here, cried here, and laughed here. She opened her closet and brushed her hands across the dresses that hung there; all safflower or ruby-colored bohemian dresses, a style typical in this faction. Never again would she dress so colorfully. Her future wardrobe would be all black and dreary - if she went through with her decision. '_It isn't too late to change my mind..._' she thought to herself. Closing her eyes, Nina tried to imagine what her future in Amity would look like: she would likely marry some sweet but predictable man, rear wild and cheerful children, and live out the rest of her days picking apples, singing merry songs, and ever looking out to the horizon, wondering what could have been. A simple, content life... _'but not the life for me_.'

She made her bed one last time, out of habit. She would never sleep in it again. Nina brought her teddy bear up to her face and pressed it against her cheek, tears threatening to spill. The bear had been hand-stitched by her mother when she was a child, and it had been her faithful companion for all these years. His characteristic scent – of apples and freshly baked cinnamon cookies – already made her nostalgic for a life she knew she was destined to leave behind. She didn't need the plush toy anymore; she had to learn to be brave without him, without her family, without her safety net. She gingerly set the toy in the middle of the bed before closing the bedroom door behind her.

* * *

Outside, Nina waited for Maddie under the apple tree they'd marked their own. Her fingers traced the outline of a heart on the rough bark. _M + N, Friends for Life._ The apples that came from this tree tasted the sweetest of all.

Leaves crunched on the orchard floor as Nina's friend approached their usual meeting spot. "Nervous?"

Nina turned and smiled, crossing her arms stubbornly. "No. Are you?"

"No way!" Maddie replied, a tenacious grin on her face.

The two friends laughed and came together in a sweet embrace, then broke apart.

"I'm… slightly terrified," admitted Nina as she lifted her arm to block her eyes from the midmorning sun.

"You better not let any of the lunatics in Dauntless hear you say that!" teased Maddie, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Admitting you're scared in Dauntless is probably, like, immediate grounds for becoming Factionless!"

"Hey, you better watch your mouth, too. In a few hours, we're gonna be one of those 'lunatics' ourselves!" Nina giggled as she jokingly jabbed at Maddie's stomach. Her laugh faltered as the true meaning of her words hit her. Choosing Dauntless meant never seeing this orchard again – never seeing her parents or her _home _again. The only alternative was to choose Amity at the Choosing Ceremony. Nina began to second-guess her decision. Would staying in Amity really be so bad?

Maddie's smile trembled as well. "I'm scared too. This is really it, you know? We're really leaving home." Maddie reached up and grabbed an apple hanging enticingly within her reach. As she bit into it, she patted the tree trunk. "Remember when you fell from this tree?"

Nina smirked. "How could I forget?" She traced the raised scar above her collarbone that the accident had left her with. She could recall the memory from her childhood perfectly:

_"I can climb higher than you can!" exclaimed Maddie, a competitive twinkle in her eyes. She was in the next tree over, racing Nina to see who could reach the top first._

_"Nuh-uh!" Nina adeptly grabbed the branch above her, pushing with her bare feet on the branch below as she lifted herself higher. She stuck her tongue out at Maddie, but Maddie's gaze was too fixated on the tree limbs above her to notice. Now they were nearly at the same level, and only a few branches remained for Nina to claim victory. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed several apples fall as she jostled the tree._

_"Hah! I win!" proclaimed Maddie triumphantly from the neighboring tree. Her proud grin lit up her otherwise grimy, dirt-streaked face._

_"No fair!" pouted Nina. "You always -" Nina's voice faltered as she felt the branch beneath her feet begin to snap. In a panic, she rushed to take hold of a tree limb above her, but the branch below broke free completely. Then she tumbled below, scraping her collar against a sharp twig on the long fall down._

Maddie glanced at the position of the sun in the sky and sighed. "We gotta go. The ceremony will be starting soon."

Nina took the apple from Maddie's hand and bit into it, savoring the last, juicy bite. Then she tossed the core onto the ground, softly squeezed Maddie's hand, and nodded. "Let's do this."

* * *

Nina sat between her parents at The Hub, tapping her left foot nervously and staring off into space. Her parents shared a tense look above her head. Though Nina was bound to never share the results of her Aptitude Test with anyone, there was no guessing what her results were. She perfectly fit the mold for Dauntless. Nina had been daring and competitive ever since they could remember. As a child, she'd loved to compete in bold games with her school friends, and her rebellious and frequently reckless nature as a teenager had often left her parents worried sick waiting up late for her past her curfew. Liam and Helen Jorgenson had done their best to keep Nina safe and to encourage her to participate in activities typical of Amity, but ultimately her tenacious personality was no fit for the peaceful and carefree faction she'd been born in. Her departure was something they'd mentally prepared for far in advance. They'd spent countless days arguing about whether to tell Nina about her true origins and eventually decided that she would be safest if she was kept in the dark. There was no use in worrying her about something that didn't affect her anyways. Rumors about rivalry between some of the Factions had increased tensions in the city in recent weeks and had made them second-guess their decision. However it was now too late to tell Nina their lifelong secret. To lose their only child to another Faction caused Liam and Helen unspeakable heartache, yet they knew Nina would only be in more danger if she was wrongly suspected of being _abnormal_. They contented themselves with the knowledge that Nina was a perfect fit for the Faction of her choice. It was not the safe life they'd so desperately wanted for her but it was the life she wanted and that was good enough for them.

Nina knew, too, that Amity was a poor match for her and that another Faction was her destiny, but she couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach. _'Am I truly making the right choice?_' Nina turned to look at her friend, who sat a few seats above with her father and younger siblings. Maddie caught Nina's gaze, gave her a determined thumbs up, and mouthed "_Together_." Nina nodded with a resolute expression and turned forward as the Choosing Ceremony began.

This year's presenter was Marcus Eaton, a leader from Abnegation. Nina noticed that some people in the crowd shared hushed, angry whispers as he approached the podium, but she didn't know what about. She zoned out as Eaton began the opening speech, her thoughts elsewhere. The person in front of her, a boy with bright curly hair, was a cheerful fellow with a lovely singing voice and a knack for writing lyrics; Nina was sure he'd choose to stay in Amity. Beside him sat his girlfriend, who was a talented guitarist and gardener who made no secret of her plans to remain as well. Nearby was a bookish girl with a dark ponytail and a pointy chin who always had her nose in a paperback; she would likely transfer to Erudite. Nina felt that everyone around her knew where they belonged. Did no one else struggle with their decision? Nina thought she knew where she fit in, but hated that fitting in meant leaving the comfort of her home.

Nina's mother gently took her hand and flipped it palm-up. She used her nail to trace into Nina's hand the words "_I love you."_ Nina's eyes welled up with tears at the gesture and she mouthed back the words to her mother. She would never again hear her mother sing her favorite lullaby or kneel in the dirt learning to garden with her. She would never again sit peacefully by a warm fire hearing tales from her father or watching him paint vast, colorful canvasses. Nina's days of dancing and singing and frolicking with friends in the open meadows of Amity were over.

The names were called alphabetically by last name. Nina's full name was called thirtieth. "_Jorgensen, Marina."_ She gave her parents one last hug and stood, her knees threatening to buckle under the sudden immense pressure that she felt. Her father clapped her on her shoulder, struggling not to cry, and her mother whispered into Nina's ear, "_You are my phoenix_."

Her fingers trembled as she approached the five bowls, but her arm was steady as she took the ceremonial knife from the representative. The cool weight of the handle felt at home in her hand. She briefly peered into the crowd of Dauntless. The twinkles in their eyes and their determined faces seemed to express bravery, ambition, and fearlessness. In that moment, Nina was steadfast in her decision. Though the rich, familiar soil of Amity's bowl tempted her, the lit coals of Dauntless were what truly called her home.

Nina deftly ran the blade across her hand. She let the blood gather in her palm for a moment, then she shot her hand above the bowl of her choice and let her blood spill. It sizzled on the burning coals as cheers erupted behind her.

* * *

Nina and Maddie exited The Hub side by side, running with the other Dauntless Initiates, wide smiles on both of their faces. Surrounding Dauntless members hooted with joy as they approached the train tracks at full speed, and Nina and Maddie copied their wild yells of jubilation. Momentum pushed them onward when they arrived at the ladders that led to the railway above.

Nina took hold of a rung and easily scampered up. "It's not so different than climbing a tree!" She smirked as she deftly climbed the ladder.

"It's nothing like climbing a tree, you damn tree-hugger," came an unfamiliar teasing voice from below her.

When Nina reached the top, she turned to appraise the jokester. A dark-skinned young man dressed in all white stepped up from the ladder. "Well, maybe a little" he admitted with a playful grin.

"Look at the Dauntless-born," Maddie shouted to be heard over the sounds of the train. "They're jumping up onto the moving train!"

"Of course they would, those crazy assholes," laughed the boy. "Come on then, we better get on."

The three Initiates ran together and pulled themselves up into an open compartment. Nina watched as some of the other Initiates struggled to board the compartment, and she lent a few a helping hand. In that moment, she was grateful for her upper body strength from years of climbing trees, picking apples, and pulling up root vegetables in the Amity gardens.

The boy they'd met stuck his hand out for a handshake. "My name's Amir - I'm from Candor, obviously," he explained as his hands motioned towards his stark white clothes.

Nina smiled and shook his hand. "My name's Marina, but only my parents use that name. Most people call me Nina."

Maddie laughed. "My name's Maddie. Just Maddie. We're from Amity."

Amir glanced out through the doorway. "Well, it looks as if our destination is fast approaching, 'Just Maddie.'"

Nina stuck her head outside and confirmed Amir's assertion. Looming ahead, several feet below the track, was a roof. People dressed in all black were jumping out of the compartments ahead of them, landing gracefully on the roof.

Nina took a deep breath. "We're gonna have to jump," she said. Maddie and Amir groaned in reply but lined up beside her. "Ready? On the count of three: One – two - three!"

Nina leapt from the train and landed awkwardly on the grey pavement. Her ankle rolled slightly, and the cut on her hand from the ceremony opened anew. Maddie and Amir fell beside her in a pathetic pile.

"That's gonna hurt tomorrow," winced Amir, rubbing his wrist. The white fabric that covered his knees was ripped and stained.

Nina got up and watched the last train compartment fly by. A solitary girl dressed in a pale grey dress stood in the doorway, tears streaming down her gloomy face. She was too scared to jump, and now she was Factionless. A lump formed in Nina's throat. Many considered Factionless to be a fate worse than death.

An intimidating and commanding voice pulled Nina from her thoughts. "Alright everybody, get off your asses and on your feet." A young man with crossed arms and a stern expression on his face appraised the Initiates. Behind him was an abyss in the roof. Nina ripped a strip of cloth from her colorful skirt and used it as a bandage to wrap up her bleeding hand.

"My name's Eric. I will be one of your Initiation trainers. If you want to join Dauntless, you're going to have to jump to get there. If you're not willing, then…" Eric didn't need to finish his sentence. The threat of being made Factionless made Nina's stomach flutter with nerves. Bright sunlight glinted off the numerous studs and rings that adorned Eric's face, and he smirked as he assessed the small crowd before him. "So, who's gonna go first?"

A chorus of whispers broke out in the group. One boy shook his head in disbelief. Another appeared as though he were about to pass out. Nina and Maddie looked at each other simultaneously and shared determined grins. They made their way through the crowd to the front, weaving a path of red and orange in a sea of black, blue, and white uniforms.

Eric looked them over head-to-toe with a stone-faced expression. "Jumping together?" he asked, with one skeptical eyebrow raised.

Nina and Maddie stepped up to the edge of the hole and clasped hands. Nina looked down into the darkness but did not falter. "_Together_," they answered assertively, before jumping through the abyss to the unknown depths below.

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**Loved it? Hated it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review!**


	2. Ignite

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

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**Chapter 2: Ignite**

Nina landed on a soft surface that bounced her back up several feet in the air. When the springy material beneath her finally settled, she had to untangle her legs from Maddie's. "Get your stinky foot away from my face, Big Foot," she teased, shoving her friend's foot away before rolling from the middle of the trampoline to its edge. A hand shot up to help her down.

"Two jumpers, that's new." A young man with short-cropped dark hair assessed the two girls with a curious expression as he gave them a hand down. He asked them their full names as well as their desired nicknames and then turned away to assist the next jumpers.

A young woman with numerous piercings adorning her face and ears recorded their names in a clipboard marked 'Initiate Transfers.' She smiled up at them and brushed her neon-colored hair away from her face. "First jumpers! Congrats," She motioned towards a side chamber. "Just wait in there for the other jumpers to arrive. We'll get you when we're ready. I'm Lauren by the way, and that's Four."

Nina and Maddie waited in the room as it slowly filled with the other Initiates. They stood out in their brightly colored garbs given that they were the only transfers from Amity. Amir found his way to the girls, and the three chatted quietly as they waited in anticipation. Nina looked over the Initiates one-by-one, creating a mental list of who looked the toughest. '_That chick looks scary, that guy looks like an idiot, that one looks like he could kill me effortlessly…'_

"So, what do you think happens next?" asked Amir. "In Candor, the Initiation process involves lie detectors and truth serums. Basically, you have to prove that you're 100% honest and open."

Nina's eyes went wide. "That's just… evil!"

"You only think so cause you're a terrible liar," Maddie snorted.

Nina grinned and jabbed lightly her in the side. "Well, that may be so, but still, I think everyone deserves to have some privacy."

Maddie nodded in agreement. "Anyways, Initiation in Amity is a complete breeze. It's just playing games and making friends and singing songs and dancing like maniacs." She made a fake gagging noise.

Nina rolled her eyes. "Well, I have a feeling that things are about to get really tough for us..."

Her voice was interrupted by an intimidating masculine voice. "Settle down, Initiates. Play time is over." The man that had greeted the group on the roof was appraising them now. His tattooed arms were crossed sternly over his broad chest.

Four appeared behind Eric with Lauren and said "Welcome to Dauntless Headquarters. The three of us will be your Initiation leaders. Training starts today." The instructors turned and began to lead the group through a winding corridor. Meanwhile, Lauren explained some of the rules the Initiates were expected to adhere to, such as a strict curfew, timeliness, and limitation of leisure hours.

"You better learn your way around here quickly," said Eric. "We're not here to baby you."

"Get a hold of this guy," Maddie breathed into Nina's ear. "Doesn't seem too friendly, does he?"

Nina cocked her eyebrow and shook her head. He gave Nina the impression that his sole joy in life was to make others' a living hell. '_He's not too bad on the eyes though,' _she added mentally.

The walls of the underground cavern were lined with grey stones. Nina ran her hand along the cool surface as she followed the group up a set of steep stairs. The leaders took turns explaining the layout of Dauntless Headquarters, and she listened closely to avoid getting lost. The steps she climbed were narrow and had no railing; a poignant challenge for anyone afraid of heights. She lost her footing on one of the slippery stones and instinctively grabbed hold of the person in front of her to regain balance.

Eric turned to her and shrugged her arm off of his arm. He appraised her with icy blue eyes. "Watch your step, Initiate. No one's going to catch you if you fall."

Nina trained her eyes downward bitterly in order to make sure she did not slip again. _'For fucks sake,'_ she thought, _'what is his problem?' _Maddie pinched Nina's arm lightly and her eyebrow quirked up in surprise. Someone behind them whispered harshly "Watch it, Pansy." Nina didn't bother turning to see who it was. She was resolute in her will to not call any further attention to herself.

At the top of the steps, the large group was split in two, leaving Nina in a group with twelve other Initiates. Lauren took charge of the Dauntless-born, while Four and Eric got the Transfers. Eric commanded the group to show up at the Training Rooms on time after a short respite, and he marched away presumably to prepare for the afternoon's drills. Four showed the Transfers to their dormitory, which was a large room with several bunk beds lining the walls; adjacent was an open floor-plan unisex lavatory which the Transfers would be sharing. Four clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Listen up. In the middle of the room you'll find an assortment of clothing. Pick a few items that are your size and get changed for this afternoon. You can get more clothing later using the points we told you about. On your way to the Pit, throw your old clothing into the lit fire. You won't need those rags anymore."

After changing into stretchy black training attire and lacing up her new black sneakers, Nina approached the fire in the corridor. She rolled her old clothing into a bundle and momentarily brought it up to her nose. She inhaled the familiar smell of Amity: apples and flowers and _sunshine_. She set down the clothing and breathed in the air around her. The scent was cool and refreshing and slightly metallic; the darkness of the caverns was alluring. Dauntless was home now. Nina threw the red and amber colored clothing into the fire and watched as the flames greedily devoured them, and then she turned away without a second glance.

* * *

The Transfers convened in the training room after lunch. Adjacent to this room was another reserved for the Dauntless-born Initiates, who they were told they would not be interacting with much.

Eric and Four stood in the middle of the training room, arms adamantly crossed. Eric stared expectantly at the transfers. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Eric asked, a dangerous tone to his voice. The Initiates fidgeted under the intensity of his glare, not knowing what he wanted them to do. "Get on the ground!" he bellowed, causing Nina to flinch.

She dropped quickly to the cold concrete floor and started doing push-ups with her peers. Eric instructed them not to stop until Four was done talking.

Four rubbed his hands together and began to pace in front of the transfers. "Today we begin Stage One of your Initiation process: Physical Endurance and Combat Training. During this three-week period, we'll be pushing your body beyond its breaking point. You'll be trained in hand-to-hand combat and the use of firearms. In addition to this, you will all have the opportunity to select one additional fighting style or weapon to specialize in."

Despite Nina's strong upper body strength - from years of picking apples and climbing trees - she began to pant. She could feel the fabric on her back sticking to her body with sweat. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Eric walked between the rows of transfers, assessing their postures with a stern expression. She heard a thud from behind her; someone had given up. "Are you kidding?" barked Eric, "Get the hell up." The person behind Nina resumed the agonizing exercise.

Four continued. "Throughout your Initiation you'll be training and practicing separately from the Dauntless-born. At the end of each day, you'll be scored against each other according to your physical strength, endurance, and combat skills." He paused momentarily. "Only those ten of you who are ranked highly enough will move on to the next stage."

Nina's arms quivered with exertion as she did the math in her head. A voice to her left cried out in a whining voice. "You're gonna cut three of us?!" It was a raven-haired girl named Tae, whom Nina had overhead earlier complaining about the lack of privacy in the bathrooms.

Eric passed closely by Nina as he approached Tae. Nina looked down and concentrated on her push-ups to avoid capturing his attention. His combat boot settled lightly on Tae's back. "What did you say?" Her body shuddered but she did not answer. Eric pressed his foot down harder on the girl's back, and she collapsed instantaneously. "If you can't handle the pressure, then you can't handle Dauntless."

Eric turned away and addressed the entire group. "If any of you feel the need to give up at any time, the door is that way." He marched menacingly among the exhausted Initiates. "Don't expect anyone to fight for you. You're here to learn how to fight for yourself. Once you leave, you're out for good."

Four continued explaining the Dauntless Initiation. "Stage Two of Initiation is Mental Fortitude and Resilience, where you'll be evaluated individually rather than ranked against each other. Ultimately we'll be selecting only 25 Initiates in total from the Transfer and Dauntless-born groups. You'll be forced to face your worst nightmares and ultimately prove to us that you have what it takes to be one of us."

Eric's combat boots approached Nina once more. Rivulets of sweat ran down her shaking arms as she felt his boot come down lightly on her lower back. "What about you, _Hippie girl_," he taunted, "Can you handle the pressure?" His boot pressed firmly down and Nina concentrated all her strength into her upper body and triceps. He pressed down ever harder, trying to force her to buckle. "Can you handle Dauntless?"

The weight he applied on her was almost too much to bear and the pain in her aching arms was agonizing. Nina trembled as her body came briefly to the floor and then she exerted all her energy into pushing herself back up using the muscles in her arms and chest. "_Yes. I. Can_." She forced each word out with as much passion as she could muster. She picked up the pace and forced her arms to work harder and faster despite the heavy weight of Eric's foot on her back.

This seemed to mollify Eric, for he took his foot off Nina and crouched down to her eye-level. He slipped his hand onto her stomach and lightly tapped her abdomen. "Keep these muscles tighter. It will help distribute your mass more evenly." Nina's skin radiated heat where his hand had briefly touched her. She tightened her abdominal muscles as instructed and instantly felt her posture and balance improve. Eric stepped away and continued walking among the other Initiates.

When Four finally finished explaining the stages of Dauntless Initiation, the Transfers collapsed in exhaustion. Nina's lungs gasped for air, her arms quivered, and a headache was beginning to extend from her neck upwards to her head, yet she was satisfied. '_I can do this,' _she challenged herself as she reached for her water bottle. '_I belong in Dauntless.'_

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**Loved it? Hated it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review!**


	3. Enkindle

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

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**Chapter 3: Enkindle**

Nina's sore arms trembled as she pulled a clean shirt over her head. She stared enticingly at the bunk bed she shared with Maddie, wishing she could crawl under the faded cotton covers. Maddie apparently had similar thoughts. She collapsed onto the bottom bunk, which Nina would be sleeping in, wearing only a towel wrapped around her freshly showered body. They'd survived their first afternoon of training. Nina tickled Maddie's foot and narrowly avoided getting kicked in the head. "Hey, that's my bed!"

Maddie smiled and got up. "I know. I'm just so tired! I guess we better go to dinner." She changed into a fresh set of clothing, moaning and groaning dramatically each time she had to lift her arms.

Nina raked her fingers through her wet hair, attempting to detangle the knots in it. "I'm starving, so hurry up," she said, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

In the dining hall, Nina and Maddie sat at a table with Amir, who had saved the girls two spots. Maddie and Amir immediately began discussing the Initiation process. Nina listened in quietly, tuned in to her own thoughts. She knew coming into Dauntless that it would be tough, but that afternoon's first drill had been a major wake up call. She would need to be extremely resilient over the following weeks in order to survive. Nina sighed and picked at her food, forcing herself to eat her plate in its entirety. Though she felt slightly queasy, she knew she had expended much energy today and would need to refuel herself in order to keep her body going.

Three other initiates sharing the table talked loudly amongst themselves, making no effort to prevent others from hearing what they were saying. They loudly discussed who they felt would be 'easily eliminated' and were sure that they would effortlessly secure a spot in Dauntless. The young man sitting beside Nina turned towards her and his thin lips turned up in a snake-like smirk. "Are you hippies enjoying Initiation so far, or are you getting ready to pack your bags tonight?"

Nina scowled. "Fuck off," she answered curtly, not willing to engage the boy in conversation. She turned away and took a bite of her hamburger, hoping the boy would disengage from the conversation.

"I guess the toughest part for you so far was climbing those stairs, huh, pansy? It's a pity you didn't just fall off them, would have saved you a lot of time since you'll just be going home anyways." The boy's cruel smirk widened and he looked to his neighbor for approval. His friend, a large boy who looked vaguely Neanderthal, laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

Nina rolled her eyes and didn't answer. She took another bite of her burger and chewed it angrily. She could feel her temper beginning to rise. '_Don't engage, Nina, it's not worth it.' _Nina reminded herself that it would benefit her in no way to make an enemy on day one. She just needed to keep a low profile and make it through Initiation. She pointedly turned her back on the boy and leaned forward to join Maddie and Amir's conversation.

The bully continued speaking to Nina, his voice low and menacing. "Ignoring me won't change reality, loser. You have no chance of survival here," he taunted. "I bet you give up by the end of the week." Then his grubby fingers pinched the back of Nina's arm, twisting her skin sharply and leaving an angry red mark.

Nina whipped around and knocked the boy's arm away from her. The sudden movement surprised the boy. He stood angrily and shoved at Nina, who shoved back instinctively. The full glass in his hand flew out of his grasp as he jolted, and its contents were emptied onto the person sitting at the adjacent table. The glass clashed to the ground and broke into numerous shards. There was a lull in surrounding conversations as people turned to see the source of the commotion. "Don't _ever_ tough me again," Nina hissed quietly, "or I will fucking ruin you."

She took a sharp breath, grabbed her tray, and dumped its belongings into the nearest trash bin. Simultaneously, the person whose back had been soaked by the errant cup turned to identify the culprit. It was Eric, and he was fuming. He grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt and lifted him several inches off the ground. "Tomorrow morning I want you in the training room at dawn running sprints until the rest of the Initiates show up. Next time you fuck with me, I'm throwing you down the chasm. Got it?"

The boy paled and nodded meekly and Nina quickly left the dining hall, hoping to avoid crossing Eric's line of fire. Her knees trembled with anger and her fists were closed tightly. A stream of expletives flowed in her mind.

Heavy footsteps followed her out of the dining room into the pit. She turned to see Eric storming out, his damp shirt clinging tightly to his torso. Nina appraised him warily, hoping desperately that he hadn't come to punish her as well. She crossed her arms and looked away from Eric, to a distant spot above his face. "I won't apologize for my behavior," she said through gritted teeth. "He was pushing my buttons."

Eric pulled the wet shirt off over his head, crumpled it into a ball, and squeezed the liquid out of the fabric. "Well the next time someone '_pushes your buttons'_, try not to ruin my clothing." He angrily tossed the soaking shirt away from him. It hit the cavern wall and slid down.

Nina couldn't resist rolling her eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic, it's just _water_." She huffed and picked up the shirt. "I'll even wash it for you. _Happy_?" She offered, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Eric stormed up to her and shoved his finger in her face. "Don't give me attitude."

Nina defiantly put her hands to her hips. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it."

Eric's furious steel eyes made Nina flinch, but she refused to back away. '_What a fucking drama queen,'_ she thought, with half a mind to tell him so, consequences be damned. "You better watch your mouth," he hissed. "I can make your life miserable here."

Before Nina could retort, someone interrupted them by calling out Eric's name. It was Max, the leader of Dauntless. Before stepping away, Eric shot Nina an intense warning look; he would not be forgetting this incident anytime soon.

* * *

The next morning, Nina's body ached in ways she hadn't even known were possible. She groaned into her pillow and pulled it over her face to block the light.

"Get up, get up, get up," sang Maddie. When Nina made no effort to move, she began to annoyingly prod her in the side.

Nina swatted away her hand. "I hate you. Go away." She rolled over and curled up, eager to catch just a few more minutes of sleep...

"I brought you breakfast," said Maddie sweetly. This did not surprise Nina; for as long as she could remember, Maddie had enjoyed waking up early to exercise and tend to her family's small garden. Meanwhile Nina had gotten chastised by Amity leaders countless times for showing up late to required activities, and her parents had caught her more than once staying up late past her curfew.

Nina lifted the pillow and looked up wearily. Maddie was holding a muffin in one hand and a bowl of apple sauce in the other. Nina smiled and took the goods from her friend. "Just kidding, I love you." She ate the apple sauce first. The taste was sweet and made Nina feel nostalgic, though it was no match for a fresh apple. She knew she likely would never have one again; fresh produce was available in Amity only, while the other factions received shipments of jarred or processed items. She closed her eyes and pictured Amity now, the orchard glittering with bright sunshine. The days would soon grow shorter and cooler as autumn replaced summer. She wondered how her parents were doing, and if they missed her like she already missed them. Her old friends would enjoy the last days of warmth outside while Nina would be trapped in this dim and humid place. Nina was yanked away from her thoughts when she spotted Eric's black shirt, which she'd hung up to dry at the end of the bed the night before; she reminded herself to avoid his attention today.

Nina changed quickly and joined the group of transfers in the training room right on time. She was pleased to see that the boy whom she'd had an altercation with the night before, whose name she'd learned was Clark, was sweating and exhausted from his forced early-morning drill. Her mood instantly soured when Eric and Four walked in the door. Eric had a calculating expression on his face that made Nina nervous.

"Initiates," began Four, "today we will begin training you in the art of physical combat. Starting tomorrow, you'll be pitted randomly against each other to fight." He cleared his throat and continued. "Your ability to block and hit your opponent will be a determining factor in your ranking." He stepped into the arena, which had a matted platform. "Eric and I will start by demonstrating-"

Eric cut Four off as he stepped into the ring, crossing his arms menacingly. "Actually, I have something better in mind. We'll have one of the Initiates help demonstrate instead." Eric gave Four a stern look that dared him to argue. Four's face tightened as he stepped off the mat. Eric shot the group a smug smile and cracked his knuckles. "Nina?"

Nina mentally kicked herself for having ever argued with Eric. '_Stupid, stupid, stupid girl!'_ She reprimanded herself,_ 'I need to learn to hold my tongue.' _Clark gave her the middle finger as she passed through the group. She stomped on his toes in response, earning chuckles from Amir and Maddie, then stepped onto the mat. She cautiously approached Eric, a grim expression on her face.

Eric spoke to the group. "The first thing you need to learn is how to block your opponent." He stepped behind Nina and rotated her hips into the proper stance. Next, his hands curled over hers, forcing Nina to close her fists. He lifted her fists to her temples and continued instructing, "You need to keep your fists up at all times. Don't let your guard down."

He used his knee to nudge Nina's legs apart and tapped her leg behind her knee, forcing her legs to loosen. "Don't be a Stiff." Nina instantly thought about the Abnegation girl who had failed to jump from the train. She forced her thoughts to return to the present as Eric continued speaking. "You need to keep your legs relaxed if you want to move quickly. Stand with your feet a shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward." Eric grabbed Nina's chin, more roughly than was necessary, and positioned it downwards. She had to stop herself from spitting in his face in retribution. "Your opponent is going to try to strike your face. Tuck your chin to avoid that. If you get hit in the face, that's a broken nose or a cut. Getting blood in your eyes will impair your ability to see, and your opponent will easily take you down."

He swung his foot up at Nina, and she instinctively flinched away and dropped her guard. "Wrong move," he said sternly. "That reaction leaves you open for attack and can get you easily killed. You need to duck at your knees and land a strike on your way back up." Eric quickly swept his leg up at her face again. She ducked properly this time and launched a sloppy punch to Eric's face. He easily deflected it with his forearm.

Eric threw a punch at her face, striking her right cheek. He hit hard enough to hurt but softly enough that it wouldn't leave a mark. Nina glared at Eric and threw another punch towards him. He nimbly blocked it again and smirked. "Watch the way I block," he told the initiates. "I twist my torso and use my forearm to catch the hit. Remember to keep your fists up. Never leave your face unguarded." He lobbed his fist at Nina's face once more. This time she rotated her hips and angled her forearm up to deflect the punch. '_I think I'm getting the hang of this.'_

"When it comes to punching your opponent, you don't want to be sloppy like Nina." She shot Eric a dark scowl, which he ignored. "You want to land a strong, clean punch with plenty of force behind it. Don't rely on just your upper body strength. Use your legs and torso to add power to your punch. Rotate your fist horizontally as you strike and immediately return to base position to block." Eric threw a jab to Nina's nose that she failed to block. "That would have been a broken nose if I had put any power behind it," he admonished her.

Nina nodded and wiped away a small trickle of blood from her left nostril. She mimicked his strike and landed a solid punch on his chin. She felt momentarily pleased with herself - until he swept his right leg quickly under her calves. Suddenly Nina was on her back, the wind knocked out of her lungs. Eric's knees were on either side of her body and one hand pushed down on her upper chest, pinning her to the ground. Nina tried to wriggle her lower body to get him off of her.

"This is a dominant position," Eric explained, his head turned to face the Initiates. "It's the best position to be in when you're fighting, because you can easily strike, choke-hold, or lock an opponent." He displayed a few different grappling techniques using light punches that Nina attempted to deflect.

"If you find yourself in the guard position, there are some techniques you can use to overpower and escape your opponent." Eric flipped her so that now he was on his back with Nina sitting on his abdomen. She glared fiercely at him, eager to show off what she'd learned. She leaned down and put Eric in a choke-hold. He rotated his hips and pushed his knee up, forcing Nina to let go. She found herself with her back on the ground once again, this time with her legs tangled with Eric's. He smirked down at her then continued to address the Initiates. "If you fail to break guard you can also try to land a few punches. Often the person in the dominant position is unable to properly deflect blows." Nina dealt two consecutive blows, striking Eric at the temple and his nose. She clamped her thighs around his torso to limit his hip mobility and tried to regain the dominant position. He momentarily lost balance but Nina was unable to break guard. He dealt one final, soft blow to her nose, then got off her. He offered her a hand up, but Nina scoffed and stood up without his aid. He rolled his eyes and turned away from her to face the Initiates. "Use the punching bags and training equipment until lunch." When the transfers didn't immediately move, Eric barked, "Now!"

Nina strode away to meet up with Maddie and Amir. The three friends chose adjacent punching bags and began practicing their strikes. Four and Eric weaved among the Initiates, occasionally offering tips or changing someone's posture. When the leaders were on the other side of the room, Maddie locked eyes with Nina. "What the _fuck_ was that about?"

Nina shrugged and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about." She alternated left and right hand strikes. She felt herself subconsciously improving the power and speed behind her punches every time Eric looked her way. The heat of his gaze electrified her.

"Like hell you don't know!" muttered Maddie. "Eric looked like he wanted to kill you – I know you well enough to know when you're not telling me something."

"Well," Nina gave in. It was no use lying to her best friend, and she was a terrible liar anyways. "I may or may not have given him some attitude…" she confessed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Maddie snorted and Amir playfully struck at Nina's shoulder. "You're either the bravest or the dumbest person I know."

Nina chuckled and punched back. "Probably the latter, to be completely honest." She swept her sweat-soaked hair into a ponytail and struck the bag repeatedly until her hands were bruised and bloodied.

* * *

**Loved it? Hated it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review!**


	4. Burn

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback. **

* * *

**Chapter 4: Burn**

Nina managed to avoid a run-in with Eric for the rest of the afternoon. She watched him intensely from the corner of her eye at all times in fear that he would keep true to his word to "make her life a living hell" as he'd so thoughtfully put it. Luckily, he didn't seem to seek her out at all. Any instructions she received in her training came exclusively from Four.

While Nina changed into fresh clothing after her much needed shower, Maddie lounged on the top bunk, one forearm crossed over her eyes to block out the harsh fluorescent light in the dormitory.

Nina playfully wriggled Maddie's pinky toe. "Hey princess, you coming to dinner or not?"

"Mmm," Maddie lifted her forearm to look at Nina. "Actually, I was wondering if you could just bring me something? I'm not feeling very well."

"Sure, no problem." Nina assessed Maddie with mild concern as she slipped a shirt over her head. "What's wrong?"

Maddie shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm just… really lightheaded."

Nina frowned. "You're probably just worn out from training. Take a nap while everyone's at dinner, yea? I'll wake you up when I get back."

Maddie smiled weakly and gave Nina a thumbs up.

Nina sat with Amir at dinner. Clark and his cronies had taken to sitting at a different table in light of last night's catastrophe. Nina noticed with pleasure that Clark blanched every time Eric looked at him, and that Eric had been especially hard on him today in the training room, constantly critiquing his physical prowess and combat stances.

Amir tore a piece of cornbread in half and knit his brows together. "I wonder why Maddie isn't feeling well. She was doing fine after lunch but she looked pale after training. I hope she's ok."

Nina nodded and waved her hand. "She'll be fine; she just needs some rest." She playfully wriggled her eyebrows. "You seem _awfully _concerned, my friend. Maybe you should go play doctor with her." She winked playfully.

Amir scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Nina, don't go there."

Nina faked incredulousness. "What? What did I do?" She mimicked an expression of angelic innocence.

"I know what's on your filthy mind," Amir accused.

Nina threw her head back in laughter and tossed her bread at him. "Whatever, lover boy." Amir caught the bun and bit into it with a cheeky smile.

"So, have you thought at all about what kind of weapon you want to choose during Stage 1? I'm thinking of choosing a knife. Seems cool," Amir pretended to slash Nina, who playfully recoiled and fake-stabbed back.

Nina hadn't given much thought to what type of weapon she'd like to specialize in. She imagined herself spinning with a dagger and fiercely stabbing an opponent, and grinned darkly and nodded. "Yea, a knife does sound cool," she cocked pensively for a moment. "That or nunchucks!"

When they finished dinner, Nina wrapped a piece of chocolate cake in a napkin for Maddie. Amir insisted that he also bring her a burger. Nina smirked as they left the dining area. "All a girl needs is chocolate, lover boy. Trust me, she'll eat the cake first."

Amir and Nina visited the tattoo parlour to waste time after dinner. They didn't want to get tattoos yet without Maddie, so they merely scanned the photo albums of the various tattoo artists and admired their ink work. Amir flipped through a book with images of piercings, then gazed at himself thoughtfully in the mirror. He ran his finger lightly over his eyebrow, turning his face side to side as he scrutinized himself. Nina nudged his hip and whispered, "You know, Maddie has a thing for guys with facial piercings…" Amir grinned and plopped down in the piercer's chair without hesitation.

A woman with dark skin and coiled dreads cleaned Amir's nose with a cotton swab. "What about you, hun," she asked Nina. "Getting a piercing as well, or a tattoo?"

Nina shrugged thoughtfully. "Hmm. Maybe." She hopped onto the counter and kicked her feet.

The woman winked, "You're not too scared, are ya'?"

"No, I'm not," snapped Nina, her posture stiffening.

"_Meow_. I'm only teasing. Lighten up, kitty cat."

"She gets a little defensive sometimes," Amir fake whispered.

Nina furrowed her eyebrows. "I do not!" Amir and the piercer chortled and Nina caved in, sticking her tongue out. "Ok, ok, you're right. I'm Nina by the way."

"And I'm Sonya. Make sure you come back to get a tattoo or piercing sometime, ok?"

Nina nodded and asked which of the tattoo albums was hers. She flipped through images of Sonya's artwork as Amir received his eyebrow piercing and found herself genuinely admiring Sonya' artistic style. "You're a really great artist, Sonya. How long have you been drawing?"

Sonya grinned as she snapped off her gloves and threw them in a nearby bin. "Thanks. I've been drawing about 10 years I guess. Got hired at this parlour a few years back and have been loving it ever since. How about you – you an artist?"

Nina nodded. "Yea, I love art. My father's a painted so I guess he got me into it. Drawing is definitely my favorite medium though."

Their conversation got suddenly interrupted as a customer came in and requested to see Sonya. Amir and Nina said their goodbyes and promised to come back and Sonya wished them farewell, saying "Bye, kitty cat!" as she winked at Nina.

When Nina and Amir arrived at the dormitory, they found Maddie pacing by the doorway. Amir instantly froze. "What's wrong, Maddie?"

Maddie guiltily glanced at Nina then looked back at Amir. "Four came by while you guys were at dinner…" She paused and bit her bottom lip. "He put the daily rankings up."

Nina dropped the chocolate cake into Maddie's hand and stormed up to the scoreboard. Her eyes skimmed over the thirteen rankings.

1\. Q

2\. Amir

3\. Gregory

4\. Alessandra

5\. Maddie

6\. Sebastian

7\. Miles

8\. Lana

9\. Clark

10\. Pamela

11\. Nina

12\. Jackson

13\. Tae

Fury and humiliation washed over Nina as she collapsed face-down onto her bottom bunk. The only people she'd ranked better than were a boy whose name she couldn't place a face to and that whiny girl Tae. If her ranking didn't improve significantly, she risk being kicked out and made Factionless. She'd worked _so hard _today and nothing had come out of it. It wasn't fair to be ranked against other Initiates who were naturally bigger or stronger than her. Hatred ripped through her as she recalled Eric's words: "_I can make your life miserable here_." Was this his doing? Was this his revenge on her for giving him attitude last night?

Maddie tentatively approached and sat on the bottom bunk beside Nina, who rolled away with shame. "Nina…" said Maddie carefully. "It's only day one. You still have time to improve."

Nina tried to bite back spiteful words but failed. "Easy for you to say. You're ranked well." She huffed and blinked tears of anger away from her eyes. Crying when angry was what she considered one of her worst traits. She slammed her fist angrily against the pillow. "I suck. I don't belong here."

Maddie began to hum a traditional Amity tune that Nina adored. Nina closed her eyes, and Maddie began to sing.

_"There is an ancient bird they say_

_With plumes of golden fiery rays_

_And it will die, and it will die._

_But from the ashes where it rest_

_Arise flames of scorching caress_

_And it will rise, and it will rise._

_The phoenix will ever rebirth_

_Eternal soul of sun and earth_

_And it will fly, and it will fly."_

Nina's deep breaths slowed and her pulse relaxed. Her heart felt heavy with nostalgia. With her eyes closed, she could almost imagine the voice being that of her mother, who used to always sing this lullaby to her when she tucked Nina in as a child. "I wish you would sing more often. You have such a lovely voice."

Maddie lay her hand on Nina's shoulder. "Marina, listen to me. You are one of the strongest, fiercest people I know. No one said this was gonna be easy. But you're the last person I expect to give up, because I _know _you belongin Dauntless. This is your home. You just need to fight for it."

Nina meditated on Maddie's words as the tears dried on her face. Every fiber of her being yearned to be Dauntless. She had embraced the Dauntless lifestyle ever since childhood, much to the chagrin of her parents and mentors. There had never been a trace of doubt in Nina's mind that this was where she truly belonged. She could choose to complain about her poor ranking, or she could choose to do something about it.

Nina rolled over and wrapped her arms around her friend to express her gratitude. "Maddie, what would I ever do without you? You keep me grounded." She exhaled and broke eye contact with Maddie, ashamed. "Also... I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know it's not your fault."

Maddie laughed and kissed Nina's forehead, accepting her apology. Amir sat beside the two girls. "Nina, you're a tough cookie. Your ranking will go up. You just have to work hard."

Nina nodded thoughtfully. Maddie reached over and gently nudged Amir's face, angling it away so she could admire his new piercing. "Oh, nice eyebrow ring. I like it!"

Nina winked at Amir and mouthed "Told ya' so!"

While Nina and Amir chatted, Nina slipped on her sneakers and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She stood and stretched a bit to loosen her muscles. "I'm gonna go train."

Maddie's eyes widened. "Are you sure? It's already getting late and we have to wake up early."

Nina's eyes lit up passionately and she lowered her voice. "I need to do this. I need to prove that I belong in Dauntless."

* * *

The halls were quiet and the cavern lights were dim. Nina moved stealthily and hoped to find the training door unlocked. Just as she was about to round the corner, she heard hushed voices ahead. She crouched and listened intently.

"Jeanine has reason to believe that the Abnegation are illegally housing the Divergent and plotting to overthrow the current system. We can't let that happen," the voice was Max's. "As long as Eaton is in power, he's a threat."

"He is such a piece of shit," Nina's eyes widened when she heard Eric respond. She peeked around the corner and saw his muscular frame pacing in front of Max. "But what can we do to stop him? We can't allow the Divergent to –"

The two men continued down the hall away from her, preventing her from further eavesdropping. Nina rose when she was sure the men were gone, and moved silently towards the training room. She jiggled the door handle and was glad to find it had been left unlocked. She slipped inside and quietly eased the door closed behind her.

Nina jogged in place to warm up. Her pulse raced as she processed what she had overheard. '_Why would the Abnegation possibly want to overthrow the government?' _The Abnegation were inherently selfless and good; she couldn't imagine a faction least likely to be corrupt. '_And what is Divergent, anyways?' _Nina couldn't remember having ever heard the term in any of her classes. Max made it seem like the Divergent were a group of terrorists, intent on ruining the factions. '_If that's so, why haven't we been taught about them?'_

A pit of uneasiness grew in Nina's stomach as she realized the gravity of what she had just overheard. Erudite and Dauntless were… secretly working together to oust Marcus Eaton? And now Nina knew about it_. _She wondered what would happen to her if one of the leaders found out what she'd learned. Would she get kicked out? _Killed? _She shivered at the thought. She couldn't tell anyone, not even Maddie. She couldn't risk getting her anyone else in trouble. She had better just forget she had even heard anything at all.

Nina began to practice the kicks they'd been taught today on a punching bag. Her muscles were in agony but she forced herself to push past the pain and forced her anger and fears and worries into each kick.

"You're gonna pull a hamstring if you keep kicking that way."

Nina spun around in shock, her pulse instantly quickening. Eric was leaning against the wall behind her, his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. She choked back her nerves and mimicked Eric's stance. "How long have you been watching me?" Nina was jittery. Did he know what she'd found out?

"Long enough to know that you suck at kickboxing," he stated smugly.

"Fuck, Eric, what is your problem?" spat Nina, glaring intensely at Eric. "Do you just go around being an asshole to everyone, or did I win some sort of 'Hey Let's Be A Jerk To Nina' contest I didn't know about?"

"You keep talking like that to me, I might be tempted to wash your mouth out with soap," he threatened.

Nina blanched, until she noticed that the right side of Eric's mouth twitched with the hint of a laugh. _'Oh, he thinks I'm funny, does he?' _She sighed. "What do you want, Eric?"

The smile Nina thought she'd seen on his face vanished. "You're not supposed to be here after hours, you know that."

Nina shrugged apathetically. "The door was unlocked... Are you going to kick me out or can I stay? I promise I won't…" she took a look around the scarce room, noticing that most of the training equipment had been locked up for the night, "make a mess, or whatever."

Eric didn't answer. He approached Nina and nodded towards the punching bag. "Show me your front kick again."

Nina sighed and complied. The moment her foot extended, Eric shoved against her lower back. Nina immediately fell out of balance and stumbled. "What the hell, Eric?!"

"You're not displacing your body weight correctly. You need to distribute your mass evenly by tightening the muscles at the core of your body. Try again."

Nina narrowed her eyes cautiously at Eric. She practiced her kick again, this time following Eric's advice. Her kick immediately felt stronger, and the tight, painful pull on her hamstrings disappeared. She smiled and kicked again, pleased with the improvement. Her eyes sought Eric's, subconsciously desiring his approval. He simply nodded, an unreadable expression on his face, and said "Be on time tomorrow morning. Or else."

* * *

"Nina, wake up, come on!"

Nina opened one eye and saw that Maddie was staring down at her, a frown tugging her lips downwards.

"We gotta go get breakfast before training," Maddie continued, tugging on Nina's arm.

Nina grumbled and looked at her black wristwatch. It blinked the numbers 7:12 AM at her. "Ugh, let me sleep a bit more…" she whined. "I'll skip breakfast and see you at the training room at 8:00."

Maddie rolled her eyes and huffed. "Fine, but it's not my fault if you're late - and you can't expect me to be your personal alarm clock every morning!"

Nina shooed her away and quickly fell back asleep.

* * *

Nina awoke with a start to an empty room. She quickly looked down at her sports watch, which read 8:09 AM. "_Fuuuuuck," _she groaned aloud as she frantically threw on her sneakers and clothing, and raced out the door. When she arrived at the training room, she peeked her head through the open doorway. The group was convened in an arch facing the arena, where Four was reading out the list of the day's fighting assignments. Eric stood off to the side in the shadows. Nina tiptoed in fugitively, hoping to avoid getting points deducted from her final score for tardiness.

Suddenly, Nina's eyes met Eric's cold ones. Her breath hitched in her throat, expecting an angry outburst from him. Instead, he quirked up his pierced eyebrow and looked away casually. Confused, Nina slipped into the group unnoticed by anyone other than Amir and Maddie, who looked at her pointedly. Nina tried to concentrate on Four's words, but her eyes kept drifting to Eric, and she ended up missing who she'd gotten paired with. She glanced at Tae, hoping she'd been matched with the thin girl.

When Four finished announcing the day's line-up, Eric stepped onto the platform and cracked his knuckles. "Initiates. You will fight as long as it takes. You will not back down and you will not show mercy. The fight ends when someone loses consciousness or concedes. Conceding will cost you points in your ranking." The authority in Eric's curt voice sent an unexpected shiver of pleasure down Nina's spine. She frowned. '_Get over it, Nina. He's bad news.'_

Nina stretched as the first fighters stepped into the arena. The two fighters, Sebastian and Miles, were ranked fairly evenly, if Nina could recall correctly. She leaned in to observe attentively. She could potentially fight either of them in the next week so she wanted to learn their strengths and weaknesses.

Sebastian and Miles circled one another apprehensively. "What are you waiting for, Initiates?" barked Eric. "Fight!"

The fight lasted only a few minutes, and ended when Miles conceded, his hand clutching his broken thumb. Sebastian had been faster, more confident, and more aggressive with his attacks.

Nina's name was called next and she entered the arena. Her stomach flipped when a boy named Q stepped up. Q, a transfer Initiate from Abnegation, had announced his one-lettered name on the day they'd arrived at Dauntless, and he hadn't spoken a word since. He always sat quietly and seemed to be constantly observing everyone around him. He was over a foot taller than Nina and his dark arms were as thick as her thighs.

Nina gulped as she uneasily gauged her opponent. Suddenly Q's fist shot out, clocking Nina in the cheek. Her head snapped back. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Q's fist fly to her face once more. She ducked and then kicked him in the shin, causing him to stumble back. Q's eyes narrowed and he kicked Nina in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She briefly doubled over in pain but forced herself to stand strong. Q's large fist approached her temple but she quickly snapped her forearm up and deflected the strike; her arm instantly ached, and she knew she'd be sporting a large bruise on it later. She then swung her arm forward and landed a solid punch on Q's chin, causing him to recoil.

Q launched himself at Nina, who gasped in pain as her back was slammed to the ground. Q reared up and slammed his elbow against her face, a loud crack reverberating. Her sight went momentarily black with pain. Her nose felt like it had been set on fire. Nina shoved her knee against Q's stomach and tried to roll him off her. She grabbed Q's finger and pulled back, causing him to roar. She momentarily was able to off-balance Q, but he quickly regained control and pinned Nina down. She felt blood running down her nasal cavity to her throat, and she struggled to breath. A trickle of blood ran into her left eye, blinding her, and Nina blindly reached up, feeling for Q's neck. Her fingers enclosed Q's throat and she squeezed with as much strength as she could muster. Her pulse drummed loudly in her ears, and she faintly heard Maddie crying out her name.

Q spoke for the first time since they'd arrived at Dauntless. "Just concede, little girl." Nina retaliated by launching a forceful punch to Q's ribcage. Then his fist cracked against her already broken nose, and Nina lost consciousness.

* * *

Nina opened her eyes and discovered that she was facing the dark floor of the cavern. It was moving quickly under her like rushing water, which disoriented her. She squeezed her eyes shut and resisted the urge to vomit. She was draped over somebody's muscular shoulder, her head softly bouncing with each step the person took. "Ugh, stop moving," she slurred out.

"Nina, shut up." The brusque voice was Eric's. Nina complied, only because talking somehow hurt her throat; she felt parched. She was suddenly dropped onto a cot with a thin mattress.

Someone wiped a damp towel over her face to remove the blood and fingers pried her eyes open. She sluggishly pushed the hand away and shut her eyes again. Her eyes were forced open and a bright light was beamed into each of her eyes. Nina grumbled but kept her eyes narrowly open. Someone's hand appeared in front of her face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Nina squinted and tried to concentrate. The hand kept morphing; she wasn't sure how many hands the person was holding up. Nina did not want to let on how badly she was disoriented, and refused to answer the question seriously. "52. This is stupid."

The person chuckled. Nina's vision slowly adjusted until she could see a blurry man treating her. "I think you have a mild concussion. And a broken nose. I'm gonna have to snap it back in place. Ready?"

Nina shrugged. Flames of pain radiated across her face as her nose was manually re-adjusted. She choked back the yelp that rose in her chest.

"You should stay here and rest. I need to monitor you in case you have a concussion."

Nina jumped down from the cot and tipped forward. She grasped the edge of the cot to balance herself. "I'm fine. I want to watch the rest of the fights."

The man tutted and he gently pushed Nina back towards the cot. Nina shrugged her arm away. "I'm ok, really."

The man rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever. Eric, keep an eye on her today. Bring her back if her symptoms get worse." Eric, who had been intently watching without Nina's knowledge, nodded and motioned for Nina to go ahead.

Nina exited the medical facility and tried to concentrate on taking steady steps, using the wall for balance.

"You're going the wrong way," stated Eric dryly from behind her.

"Oh." Nina turned and tried to ignore the resulting blur. She focused on each step she took, making sure not to trip. The cavern floor seemed to lurch beneath her.

"Can you walk any faster?" asked Eric tersely.

"Can you stop being such an asshole?" shot back Nina, pouting her lips. Eric rolled his eyes and she was suddenly scooped into his arms. Eric's pace immediately sped up.

Nina lolled her throbbing head against Eric's chest. "I guess this is ok. You should carry me everywhere. I'd never have to walk again." Nina liked whatever soap he used; it left him with a musky, evergreen scent that reminded her of sitting by a campfire on a cool autumn night.

Eric chuckled darkly, "Don't expect this treatment often, your highness. Anyways, you still owe me."

Nina's eyes shot open and she glared inquisitively at Eric, whose face was still somewhat of a blur. "What are you talking about?"

"I warned you not to be late this morning. You should have had three points immediately docked from your final score, but I let you sneak in anyways. Now you owe me three times over."

She bit her bottom lip as she contemplated his proposal. "Fair enough. What do I owe you?"

Eric set Nina onto her feet outside of the entrance to the training room. "You have to clean my apartment this week."

Nina scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Really, Eric? I'm not complaining, but that's not a very impressive punishment. I expected way better from you."

Eric glared at Nina. His jaw shifted tightly. "I'm not done yet. You also have to choose the chain as your weapon of specialization during weapons week."

Nina threw her hands up into the air. "No way! I was going to choose the knife!" She pouted and crossed her arms. "Who the fuck even uses a chain anyways? That's, like, barbaric!"

Eric coldly appraised Nina. "Everyone chooses the knife. It's boring and predictable. Using a knife on an opponent will give you minimal advantage against them, especially given your size and stature, and _especially _if you're faced with someone larger and stronger than you. You'll be better with a chain. You're dexterous and a quick thinker, you need to rely on that and use it to your advantage." Nina blushed at the unexpected compliment. "Anyways, I'm currently the only person at Dauntless that knows how to use a chain. I need a practice partner."

A dark image of Eric fiercely attacking an opponent with a chain flashed before Nina's eyes and she felt incomprehensible hunger rip through her. She pushed the thought to the recesses of her mind and stubbornly crossed her arms. "Fine. What's the third task I owe you?"

Eric smirked and spoke huskily. "I'll let you know when I think of it."

With that, Eric turned away and entered the training room. Nina let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She took a moment to compose herself before following him in.

* * *

**Thank you all **_**so **_**much for your continued support. I genuinely take your reviews to heart and use your feedback to improve my writing.**


	5. Heat

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback. **

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**Chapter 5: Heat**

On the subsequent days that followed the first round of fights, the initiates gradually improved and solidified their fighting techniques. Nina continued to train solo late at night, and her rank steadily improved. On the night before the final day of combat, her posted score, at 7, bypassed Clark's, who glared at her maliciously. Earlier in the day, he had conceded to Nina, who had locked him in a chokehold that he was unable to escape from despite his aggressive punches. She had bruises lining her ribcage to show for it, but she was pleased with her victory over the snotty boy.

Though she never again had to fight Q after the first day when he had absolutely wrecked her, Nina and the colossal young man had reached a truce of sorts. They mutually respected one another: Nina respected Q for having fought her fairly and without sympathetic restraint; and he in return respected her for having been a formidable opponent who refused to concede. Q had begun to sit with Nina, Maddie, and Amir during meals, although he still refused to speak.

During her late-night fugitive walks to the training room, Nina did not again encounter Max and Eric. However, she was unable to forget the words they had spoken, and her sleep was plagued with twisted nightmares. Each night she tossed and turned as her dreams were filled with appearances unknown enemies. Every morning she awoke aggravated and poorly rested, unable to decipher the mixed messages her brain was composing. Which faction was corrupt? Which faction could she trust?

Nina wasn't the only person haunted by her fears. Night after night, sobs and sniffles could be heard from Tae's bunk. The raven-haired girl had not improved at all, and less than three weeks remained until preliminary eliminations. Her late night crying was keeping everyone from achieving a full night's sleep, and Tae began to get the stink-eye from the Initiates.

The morning of the final round of fights, Nina awoke feeling quite exhausted due to a combination of late-night training, nightmares, and Tae's crying. She stepped into the shower, hoping a cold shower might wake her up and alleviate her headache. No sooner had she begun to enjoy her shower than she heard blubbering from the adjacent stall. She tried to ignore Tae's crying but it only got louder. Pain pulsed in her temple.

Nina thumped the stall wall. "Tae, _please_ shut the fuck up for once!"

Tae immediately began to weep more loudly, wailing "I'm gonna -hic- get kicked out of -hic- Dauntless!"

Nina grumbled. '_I hope you do,'_ she thought cattily, annoyed at the girl. "You will with that attitude!"

The voices from the shower room began to attract the waking transfers, some of who peeked their heads into the lavatory to see what all the commotion was.

Nina furiously scrubbed shampoo into her scalp. "All you ever do is complain! How about instead of whining, you actually try to improve!"

Tae's only response was to let out a small, pathetic sob. Nina rolled her eyes and banged on the stall a bit more as she turned off the water and dried off with a towel. When she stepped out of the shower, she was greeted by applause from some of the initiates, all of whom were just as frustrated with Tae as she was. Nina jokingly bowed, and someone wolf-whistled. She winked in the direction of the whistle and entered the dormitory to change.

The dormitory was in its usual state of commotion, with transfers dashing in and out from the dining hall and rushing to change. Maddie and Amir waited restlessly for her to finish changing so that they could get breakfast together.

"Um, guys…" said Nina, who was crouched on the floor peeking under her bed. "I can't find my shoes anywhere." She reached blindly under the bed, running her hand across the dusty floor looking for her sneakers, which she _always _left in the same spot. Her hand brushed against a slip of paper.

When she finished reading the note, she threw her head back and groaned. Maddie immediately hunched down, an expression of sincere concern on her face. She took the note from Nina and read it as well, then turned to Amir. "It's her sneakers. Someone's left them on the roof."

Amir nodded sympathetically. "Whoever it is wants you to be late to training. You better go now, you might be able to make it back in time." He promised they'd bring her a muffin from breakfast.

Nina rushed out of the door barefoot and ran towards the pit, her steps muted on the cool cavern floor. As she raced around a corner, Nina smacked straight into someone's hard body.

"Where the hell are you going?" Eric glared, "and why are you barefoot?"

Nina hesitated. '_Oh, you know, someone hates me and thinks I don't belong in Dauntless and wants me to fail and now they're intentionally screwing me over…' _It sounded weak and pathetic to her, so she chose to lie instead. "I'm just … going to breakfast. Sorry for running into you. Gotta go!" Nina breezed past Eric, whose expression made it clear that he hadn't believed a single word she'd said.

She took the stairs two at a time with ease, thankful for having spent her childhood days running about barefoot. She briefly reflected on her physical improvements; a week ago, running up these steps wouldn't have been as easy. She threw the door open and ran onto the roof, letting the door slam shut behind her. Her eyes skimmed the roof, but her sneakers were nowhere in sight.

"Come on, come on," Nina muttered as she jogged across the roof, her eyes sweeping the ground. The roof was bare except for stray bottle caps and cigarette butts. Her shoes weren't here.

Nina pulled at her hair in frustration as she made her way back to the door. She lightly tugged at the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. She stared at the door in disbelief and yanked once more on the handle. It was locked. '_I'm an idiot. I'm an _idiot.' She slammed her fists and kicked against the door, but she knew no one would hear her. The staircase that led to the Dauntless roof was infrequently used.

Nina bit her nails and looked around her. Adjacent to this roof was another, smaller roof, next to the train track. She recognized the opening she'd jumped through on the day she'd arrived at Dauntless. Very near to the hole was another door that she hoped was unlocked.

She approached the edge of the roof and looked down at the next one. The roof was located a few feet away and several feet below from this one. To make the jump, she'd need to have a running start. As she backed away, she tried to remember if she'd been taught anything about properly landing a jump. '_Fuck it, I'll wing it.' _She raced to the edge of the roof and launched herself towards the next roof. She landed in a heap, dirt flying into her eyes. Her bare legs and feet were scraped and a small trickle of blood was running through the toes on her left foot. '_Eh. Could be worse.'_

Nina quickly scanned this roof for her shoes but found that they were not there. She crossed her fingers as she made her way to the door of the roof. '_Please, oh please, oh please, oh-' S_he pulled on the door but it wouldn't budge. She rested her head against the steel door in defeat and drummed her nails against the doorframe, thinking about what to do.

Nina turned and looked at the formidable hole in the roof. She slowly approached the edge of the opening and looked down. The drop was far and Nina could see only black. She wondered if they kept the net at the bottom year 'round, or if it was only placed there for the Choosing Ceremony. She nervously bit her bottom lip and appraised the darkness below. She scanned the roof in search of a beer bottle she could toss down to hear if it crashed, but the concrete was bare. Nina couldn't make out what lay at the end of the fall. '_I mean… they wouldn't just remove the net, right?' _

Across from her, on the other side of the hole, Nina spotted a utility ladder that lead down. She cheerfully pumped her arm in the air and ran over to the ladder. She quickly scampered down the steps but found that the ladder only descended a few yards. From her position she squinted down, hoping to see the bottom from her new vantage point, but she still had no luck. She scampered back up the rungs of the ladder, nearly slipping once due to her sweaty palms.

When Nina returned to the top, she anxiously paced the edge of the hole. The gravel dug into her bare soles, and she left small droplets of blood from the wounds she'd acquired from her jump. '_Fuck this. Fuck it all._ Fuck_, I have the worst luck ever.'_ Nina stepped up to the mouth of the hole, looking down in hesitantly. She took a deep breath as she contemplated what to do.

"Nina, stop!"

The loud voice startled her. Nina lost balance and swayed forward towards the opening of the hole. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist and threw her body away from the opening of the hole. Nina flew onto her back, using her left hand to brace the fall, and heard a muffled crack. She flipped over and saw Eric. Their legs were tangled together, bits of gravel and dirt coating Eric's dark pants and Nina's bare legs. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest and her breaths were uneven.

Eric was similarly out of breath. He looked at Nina with an expression of irritation. "The room at the bottom of the hole is being used for storage; the net isn't there."

Nina felt like her head was underwater. Eric's voice seemed distant. Her pulse drummed in her ears. The image of falling inwards towards the abyss was imprinted in her mind. Nina placed her trembling fingertips to the sides of her temples and closed her eyes, concentrating on taking slow, even breaths. '_I almost just died. I almost just died. I almost just died.' _Her breaths came out ragged and her heart palpitated painfully in her chest.

She felt Eric's hand close around her right wrist. "Nina, look at me." His low voice pulled Nina from her thoughts. She opened her eyes and looked into his. Eric's eyes were the color of cold steel. "Take deep breaths," he instructed her. Eric took slow, exaggerated breaths, which Nina copied, her eyes never leaving his. Her breathing gradually normalized and her heart rate returned to baseline.

As the shock wore off, she began to feel an intense pain in her left thumb. She withdrew her hand from Eric's and observed her thumb. She gently tried to move it and felt an acute pain. "Ah, dammit. I think I've broken my thumb."

Eric snorted. "Idiot."

Nina immediately flared up. "Hey, _you're _the reason I broke my thumb anyways!"

"_I'm _the reason you're alive, you ungrateful -"

Nina blanched and quietly cut him off. "I know. Thank you." Eric didn't respond. He stood up and brushed off his pants, then offered her a hand. Nina stood with his help and followed him to the doorway that led down into Dauntless.

Eric sat down against the wall in the shade. Nina remained standing and cocked her eyebrow. "Um, it's great out here and all, but aren't we gonna go inside?" Eric gave her a look that told her to shut up. '_Wonderful,' _she thought. '_My knight in shining armor doesn't even have the key to the lock.'_

Nina slid down the wall beside Eric and looked out to the forlorn city. She wrapped her arms around her legs. "So, I guess Maddie told what happened."

Eric nodded and looked down at her cut-up bare feet. "I suppose you didn't find your shoes?" She nodded her head no. Eric pulled Nina's feet into his lap and inspected them. "Why did you lie to me earlier, when I asked you where you were going?" He forcefully tugged out a small shard of glass that Nina hadn't realized had been lodged in her foot.

"Geez, a warning would be nice next time," Nina huffed. Her facial expression softened as she appraised Eric, wondering if his question sincere. They argued so often, and it was rare to hear Eric say something that wasn't sarcastic or rude. Watching as he gingerly tended to her feet, she decided he was being genuine. "I don't know… I guess it felt kinda pathetic to admit that someone doesn't want me here - that someone thinks I'm too weak to belong in Dauntless."

"You're not weak," responded Eric. Nina's heart swelled with gratitude and she mouthed a thank-you. He didn't say anything after that. As time passed, the sun shifted in the sky, casting Eric's lap out of the shadows. The sunlight on her legs felt so nice, and the breeze was lovely. She looked out to the horizon, hoping to see Amity from here, but she couldn't. She closed her eyes and wondered what her parents were up to right now. Nostalgia welled up in her chest. She began to lightly hum the tune to her favorite song as she dozed off.

Eric's husky voice pulled her away from her thoughts. "What's that song?" His hands was resting on her calves in his lap, and his thumb began to subconsciously rub a small circle in Nina's skin.

Nina kept her eyes closed, enjoying the fleeting warmth; the temperature was perpetually cool in the Dauntless Headquarters. "It's a traditional lullaby in Amity, about a phoenix. My mother used to sing it to me every night when I was a child." She smiled sweetly at the memory. "Maybe one day I'll sing you the words." She opened her eyes nervously; she hadn't meant to say that. Eric had an indecipherable gleam in his eyes.

Just then, the door burst open. Nina immediately withdrew her feet from Eric's lap, a flush darkening her cheeks. Four raised his eyebrows at them, and held the door open to let Nina pass by. Four walked behind her, letting the heavy metal door swing nearly shut behind him and forcing Eric to shoot out his arm and catch the frame before it closed.

Nina had missed an entire morning of training. When she went back to the dormitory after getting her fractured thumb wrapped up at the clinic, her shoes had reappeared in the spot under her bed where she always left them.

* * *

"Our first week of training – finally over!" exclaimed Amir happily as he threw his arms around Maddie and Nina after dinner. The three friends looked forward to their one-day off tomorrow.

Maddie smiled smugly, looking quite content under Amir's arm. "I think a celebration is in order."

The three friends walked into the tattoo parlour, discussing what tattoos they would like and what else they'd like to do with their day off. Sonya greeted the trio at the entrance; Amir and Nina introduced her to Maddie.

Maddie already knew what she wanted. She asked Sonya to tattoo a fire-breathing dragon on her back. Sonya had Maddie remove her top, unclasp her bra, and lay stomach-down on her padded table. Nina sat in a nearby stool and watched as Sonya prepared the needles and ink. Sonya delicately washed Maddie's back with a sterile wipe, then began the tattoo.

The tattoo was rather sizeable, and the whole process took a couple of hours. Nina was enthralled the entire time, unable to look away. As Sonya drew elegant curves and lines in ink, a dragon blossomed under the needle. The green reptile came to life on Maddie's skin, flames scorching across her upper back.

"You've been rather quiet, kitty cat," commented Sonya to Nina as she worked on the finishing touches of Maddie's tattoo.

Nina drummed her fingers on her leg. "I was just wondering, Sonya… Could you teach me how to tattoo?"

Sonya appraised Nina. "Maybe," she winked. "I have to see if you have what it takes." She paused as a thought crossed her mind, and smiled slyly. "Meet me tonight with some drawings. If you're good enough, I'll teach you all I know tomorrow."

Nina grinned and shot out of the parlour, eager to get started right away. She slowed as she jogged through the wing that led to the dormitory, realizing that she had neither a pen nor paper. Up ahead to her right, she saw Eric unlocking a door. Nervousness fluttered in the pit of her stomach and she cursed herself internally. '_This is ridiculous. Just go ask him.'_

"Eric?" He turned to look at Nina as she approached. "Can I borrow a pencil, and some paper?"

He nodded and opened the door. "Come in."

Nina followed Eric into his studio apartment. It was a large space, but it was extremely cluttered. The coffee table was covered with books and papers; piles of clothing were strewn on the floor near Eric's bed; the kitchen sink was piled high with dirty dishes. Nina grimaced. "Christ, Eric. You're a mess. It looks like you let off a _bomb _in here."

Eric smirked. "Sucks for you. This is what you get to clean today, in regards to our deal."

"What?! No way!" Nina whined, "It's my first night off! Can't I just do this some other time?"

"I mean, I could just remove those points from your score if you prefer…" Eric stated coolly.

Nina groaned. "Fine. Whatever. But I still want a pencil and paper when I'm done." She bent down to pick up clothing from the floor. "Is this even clean?" Eric shrugged. She threw the clothing into a hamper. "You're kind of nasty, Eric."

"Watch your mouth, kitty cat." Eric's voice was husky and his eyes darkened. He sprawled on the couch and kicked his combat boots off.

"Excuse me! Where did you hear that nickname?" Nina felt lust warm her cheeks. The nickname sounded much, _much _dirtier coming from Eric's mouth.

The corner of Eric's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Sonya."

Nina narrowed her eyes at him. "I didn't realize you had friends," she snapped. She pulled Eric's sheet up onto the bed and tucked the corners in.

Eric chuckled darkly. "You have a serious attitude problem. Now shut up and let me sleep."

Nina stuck her tongue out at Eric but his eyes were already closed. She finished making the bed and headed to the kitchen. She cleaned the dishes as quietly as she could, muttering angrily under her breath the whole time. '_This is bullshit! He enjoys pissing me off.' _She took her anger out on the kitchen, leaving the counter tops spotless. She just barely managed to avoid moving her injured thumb too much.

Next, she worked on returning all the books on Eric's coffee table to his massive bookshelf. Nina took a moment to glance through his collection; she hadn't taken him for a reader. She nibbled her bottom lip as she perused his books, pulling one out here or there to read the title. She found a blank notebook and ripped a few pages out if it, then grabbed a pencil from his coffee table.

She grabbed a pillow that was near his feet and placed it on the floor so she could sit up against the edge of the coffee table. She chewed on the eraser a bit as she thought about what she wanted to draw for Sonya. She began by sketching a basic tribal tattoo and skull-and-bones, designs she knew were popular in Dauntless. Then she worked on the Dauntless symbol, which was pretty straightforward. On a whim, she also sketched the symbols for each of the other factions from memory. The words of her favorite Amity song came to mind, and she drew a phoenix in flight, flames cascading from its feathers. Pain pulsed in her broken left thumb, and she was grateful for being right-handed.

Eric suddenly moaned deeply in his sleep - which affected Nina entirely too much - and turned over on the couch so that his face was now facing her. She impulsively sketched his figure, her pencil tracing the hard lines of his jaw and shoulders. She softly etched the curves of his lips, and wondered what it would be like to -

Eric's eyes snapped open. He looked down suspiciously at Nina. "What are you doing?"

"None of your business," she snapped, folding the papers to hide her drawings. "Can I go now?"

Eric stretched as he looked around his apartment, seeming pleased with the outcome. He snatched the papers out of Nina's hands. "Hey!" she exclaimed as she tried to grab the papers back. Eric merely stood and walked away as he flipped through the images. She crossed her arms impatiently. "What are these for?" asked Eric with his brow quirked up.

"Sonya. She's gonna teach me how to tattoo." Nina looked at him pointedly. "Can I get them back now?"

"You're pretty good. For a beginner. _Maybe_ I'll let you tattoo me one day," he smirked.

Nina cocked her head. "What tattoos do you have?" She eyed the tattoos on his neck and an image of her lips on his neck flashed through her head. She blinked her eyes, forcing the image away.

Eric pulled his shirt off. His skin was covered in ink. Nina admired his tattoos and longed to tattoo the area on his chest that was still blank. On his back was a large tattoo of a chain and flames. The flames were so realistic that they seemed to sizzle and dance on his back. Without thinking, she lightly traced the edge of one of the flames, appreciating the intricate details of the inkwork. Eric shivered and pulled away. His eyes burned on her skin and he glanced down covertly at Nina's lips. He slipped his shirt back on and turned away.

Nina took her cue to leave. She quietly closed the door behind her and contemplated Eric's hot-and-cold words and actions as she headed to the tattoo parlour. '_Why am I always attracted to bad boys? Get your shit together. He is _off_ limits.'_

Sonya was with a client when Nina arrived. She spontaneously decided to get a nose ring while she waited. Her left eye watered momentarily in response to the pain of the needle piercing through her left nostril.

"Nice piercing," said Sonya with a warm smile when Nina approached her after her client had left. "Did you bring me some drawings?"

Nina nodded and nervously handed them over. Sonya slowly flipped through the pages and then put them away in a drawer. She scooped her dark dreads away from her face, clipping them up in a thick coil. "Not bad. Come by tomorrow, kitty cat. We'll go through the basics."

"Thanks," Nina grinned and gave Sonya a quick hug. She turned to leave, but hesitated and looked back. "By the way… why did you tell Eric about your nickname for me?"

Sonya flashed a knowing smile. "Because he asked about you."

Pleasure and confusion simultaneously flooded Nina's emotions. '_That is bad, bad news. Right?'_

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**If there's something you loved or hated about this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know; I always take your feedback into consideration to improve my writing.**


	6. Flare

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

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**Chapter 6: Flare**

Nina sat beside the entrance to the tattoo shop, her back against the cool cavern wall. In her lap was a sketch pad, already half-filled with doodles and tattoo ideas, that Sonya had given her the night before. Children in Amity had always been encouraged to pursue creative talents, and Nina had taken after her father's artistic abilities; she was particularly gifted at drawing. She hadn't yet given much thought to what career she might be selected for in Dauntless, because she'd been so consumed by training, but she knew there were a limited amount of options. She briefly wondered if she might be given the role of tattoo artist, a career she'd much prefer over being a guard on the fence, which was the most common job. She jumped up to greet Sonya when she heard her familiar footsteps approaching.

"Eager, aren't you?" Sonya teased as she unlocked the shop. Nina followed her to her workbench, where Sonya cleared off some junk and began to line up different tools and devices that Nina didn't recognize.

Sonya began by going over the names for all the tools commonly used and explained how each device worked. She explained how the different needle tips and inks could produce varying results, and how it was important to safely use the devices to achieve the client's desired outcome. The brief lecture was interspersed with Nina's frequent questions and comments.

Sonya patted the client chair and motioned for Nina to sit. "Now, my first rule is that you're not allowed to tattoo anyone until you've been tattooed yourself. You can't dish out the pain if you can't take it," she winked. "I'm going to demonstrate a few different strategies by occasionally changing out my needle heads and inks. Try to follow along."

Nina nodded excitedly. "What are you going to tattoo?"

Sonya smirked and used a damp wipe to clean the surface of Nina's upper thigh. "You'll see, kitty cat." She showed her how to properly secure a needle inside a tattoo machine, then disassembled it so that Nina could practice. Then she dipped the end of the needle into a well of jet black ink and brought the needle to Nina's leg.

Nina exhaled sharply as the needle hit her skin but found that the stinging pain was bearable. Sonya traced the needle skillfully, using a cloth to periodically wipe away blood. Nina watched carefully at the way Sonya held her hand steady and confidently drew out soft lines with the ink. The smooth curves began to shape the outline of a roaring wildcat. When the basic outline was complete, Sonya made Nina change the needle head for a fresh one as she filled new wells with colored inks. Sonya expertly filled in the outline of the cat with a golden hue and colored its eyes using a deep brown and a piercing emerald color. "Just like yours," Sonya winked, briefly looking up into Nina's hazel eyes.

The skin on Nina's thigh was raw and tender when the tattoo was complete, but she was pleased. The wildcat was fierce and deadly. "I love it, Sonya." She went to trace the tattoo with her finger, but Sonya slapped her hand away and wrapped Nina's leg with gauze. "You need to leave this on for a couple of hours then wash regularly with soap and water." She dug through her messy cabinet and pulled out a bottle of cream that would help expedite the healing process.

"Your turn now," said Sonya. "And don't even think about practicing on me. I'll see about that when I see how well you can tattoo yourself."

Nina stuck her tongue out at Sonya and prepared the tattoo machine with a new needle. She kicked off her left shoe and disinfected the top of her foot with a cleansing wipe. Nerves fluttered in her stomach as she slowly brought the black ink to her skin. '_Be confident. You can do this.' _She bit her bottom lip and concentrated on tracing the soft, rounded lines of a fat apple.

"You're doing really well," commented Sonya as she handed Nina a small cloth. "Remember to regularly wipe away blood and runny ink."

Nina did as she was told and smiled when she finished the outline of the apple. She dipped a new needle into a ruby ink and began to fill in the apple with color. She used white color to add shine to the apple and the same emerald ink as before for the leaf on the stem. The device trembled slightly due to Nina's nerves, but she focused on keeping her hand steady. When she was finished, she wiped away the excess ink and trickles of blood, then admired her work.

The apple looked firm, full, and bright. She could almost taste the crispy sweetness of a freshly picked apple, and her mouth watered. "What do you think?" she asked Sonya shyly.

Sonya smiled and patted Nina's arm. "I think you're a natural talent."

Nina spent most of the day in the tattoo shop, watching Sonya tattoo and pierce her clients. One client was even brave enough to let Nina pierce his ear. In the early afternoon, Eric came in and requested a new tattoo on his left hand. He didn't speak with Nina but she often felt his gaze on her face, on her body, on her new tattoo. It made her feel warm and she tried to concentrate on watching Sonya's needle move back and forth on his skin. When he left, she visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. Sonya gave her a knowing look, "You know, kitty cat, Initiate-Trainer relationships are not allowed."

Nina blushed. "Um, ok…?"

Sonya quirked up her eyebrow and nodded at Eric's retreating form. "Don't act dumb, you know exactly who I'm talking about."

"There's nothing going on between me and Eric," snapped Nina, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Meow," smirked Sonya. "You sure are getting defensive." Nina huffed, which only made Sonya laugh.

Nina wasn't allowed to tattoo paying clients yet but Maddie and Amir insisted on receiving tattoos from her anyways. She noticed that Maddie and Amir were holding hands when they entered the shop, and a mixture of happiness and misplaced jealousy washed over her.

Maddie sat down and grinned widely up at Nina. "You choose."

Nina looked thoughtfully at her best friend, trying to think of a tattoo that would suit her. It was her first tattoo, her first _real _tattoo, and she wanted it to be meaningful. She thought of their childhood days, spent scampering up tree branches and munching on tart apples until their tummies were distended with the fruit. She thought of the heart they'd carved into the tree bark together, the smell of a delicious apple, the sound of leaves being rustled by a cool breeze.

She gently pulled off Maddie's shoe and brought the needle to the top of her left foot. She used hues of green and yellow to tattoo the foliage, and deep, warm brown for the bark. She chose the same ruby red to color in plump apples and occasionally used a cloth to wipe away the bright blend of blood and ink. In the bark, she etched in a tiny heart using a fine needle and dark ink.

When she was done, Maddie shot her a warm smile. "It's beautiful, thank you." Nina squeezed her best friend's hand. "_Friends for life_, remember?"

Amir plopped down on the stool next and rolled up his black sleeve. "Do your worst."

Nina playfully punched his arm. "Don't you trust me?"

He winked. "Not in the slightest."

Nina scowled and contemplated giving him a butterfly tattoo out of spite, but instead chose one that would commemorate the first time they'd met.

* * *

"Hold on, can you go over the last two again?" asked Amir.

Sonya reached out and lightly smacked his arm. "Pay attention this time!"

Nina was sitting on the floor in the Pit. She was part of a circle consisting of Maddie, Amir, Q, Sonya and two of her friends: twins that were named Tommy and Timmy. Nina, in an intoxicated haze, kept confusing the one with the other, but found that they often ended each other's sentences anyways.

Sonya went over the rules to the card game for a third time as Amir attempted to listen. Nina watched as Maddie lightly ran her fingers up and down the boy's back. She chuckled, knowing the reason why the boy found it so difficult to concentrate. The skin on his right arm, where she earlier had tattooed train tracks, was covered in a light gauze.

Sonya finished repeating the rules and began to distribute cards. "Hold on," stated Nina. "I didn't catch any of that."

Sonya glared playfully. "That's because you're piss-ass drunk."

Nina winked and took a swig from her bottle. "I think I'll just watch you suckers play tonight."

"Oh, come on!" pouted Maddie. "Play with us, Nina!"

She pointed her finger accusingly at the girl. "You only want me to play because I'm terrible at games!"

Maddie laughed and nodded, clinking her bottle against Nina's. She took another sip of the rich liquid and drank in her surroundings. The chilly, damp air of the cave. The shadows that danced beneath lit torches. The sounds of laughter and banter from her friends. This was home.

Content, Nina lay down on the cool cavern floor, her head strewn in Maddie's lap. She threw her arms around her middle and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, goodness," teased Maddie. "I forgot how touchy-feely you get when you drink." She rearranged her cards in one hand and used her other to lightly play with Nina's long hair. She purred and listened as her friends taunted one another. The game involved drinking, so the group progressively became more and more intoxicated.

Someone's hand brushed the top of her new tattoo of the growling wildcat. She looked up to see that it was Tommy. '_Or Timmy? Same difference.' _His eyes were heavy with intoxicated lust. "Sweet tat. What does it mean?" He ran his finger over the sharp canines of the cat, leaving Nina's skin scalding. She shot him a weak, flirtatious smile, and wondered why she wasn't enjoying his attention as much as she normally would have. But then she thought of Eric, imagining him touching her tattoo, which made her mentally kick herself for thinking of him at all.

Sonya cut in. "It means she will rip your fucking head off, so you better leave her the fuck alone." The group roared with laughter, and Tommy/Timmy pulled his hand away, with a fake pout. He shot Nina a mischievous wink.

Q won the first round and grinned slyly. Nina sat up and high-fived him. "Nice work, Q!" Nina wondered if he would ever bestow her with his voice. She leaned her heavy head against his shoulder and opened a new bottle, taking a thick swig. Sonya shuffled the cards and the group started a new round. She tried to pay attention but soon gave up, her mind too clouded to understand the intricate rules and the fast pace of the game.

Her eyes skirted the pit, subconsciously looking for _him. _He was standing in a far corner with his friends, his posture more relaxed than she'd ever seen. His strong jaw was softened by the genuine smile on his face. The glow in the cavern bounced off the metallic ring on his lips. She admired the way his black shirt clung to tightly his skin and drank in the hard lines of his muscles.

She forced herself to look away. '_Goddamnit, I am horny,' _she thought.

Maddie clapped her hand over Nina's mouth and the group laughed. "Nina has no filter when she's drunk."

"Oops. Did I really say that out loud?" She blushed fiercely.

"Yes, unfortunately for you, though I can't deny being amused. Time to go, my dear!" Maddie pulled her up and held her steady as she wobbled. "Say bye, Nina."

Nina grinned sheepishly and waved goodbye to her friends. They woof-whistled her and Sonya jokingly slapped her in the ass. Amir tucked his arm around her to help keep her upright.

Tommy/Timmy jumped to his feet. "Need my help?"

Nina snapped at him. "No thanks, lover boy." Her tongue felt heavy and her limbs felt like jello. Sonya laughed and punched him lightly in the arm, "I told you to leave her alone!"

Nina walked slowly across the Pit with the help of her two friends. As they passed closely by Eric and his friends, she noticed that he glared at Amir, who had an arm wrapped around her for balance. Then his gaze moved to her, his eyes dark and indecipherable. '_Is that passion? Indifference? Hatred?' _The possibilities made Nina's head swirl, and she grabbed tightly to Amir for stability. He and Maddie guided her to the dormitory bathroom, where she knelt beside a toilet and tried to ignore the putrid stench.

She put her head in her hands. "God, I am so embarrassed." Her words came out heavy and slurred.

"Aw, don't worry about it, Nina. We all say stupid things when we're drunk." Amir rubbed her back soothingly and Maddie handed her a bottle of water.

She pouted. "I'm never gonna drink again."

Maddie snorted. "Yea, like I haven't heard that one before." Nina shot her the finger but giggled. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her, and she retched into the toilet, her body forcefully expelling the toxic liquid. She moaned, leaning her cheek against the cool porcelain, and waited a few moments to see if she would be sick again. When her stomach had calmed down, she uncapped the water bottle, rinsed her mouth, and took satisfying sips of the cool liquid. '_Ah, water. Water is my friend.'_

Maddie shooed Amir away and handed Nina a towel and her toiletry bag. Nina stood under the warm water for several minutes, letting the heat relax her tense shoulders. She was starting to feel much better, though she was sure she'd have a terrible headache in the morning. "So, Maddie," she asked, peeking her head around the corner to make sure they were alone, "you and Amir?"

A genuine smile warmed her face. "Yeah, I really like him. We just click, you know what I mean?"

"Well, I don't _really _know what you mean, but it's obvious he's crazy about you." Nina hesitated and took a minute to sort her thoughts as she brushed her teeth. She spit out her toothpaste, letting it run down the shower drain, before continuing. "Is it scary? You know, falling for someone?"

"Oh, Nina," sighed her friend. "I don't know how you manage to be simultaneously the bravest and silliest person I know. No, it's not scary at all. It just feels _right_. You'll see what I mean someday."

"We'll see about that. I can't allow romance or desire to cloud my judgement... I can't risk losing control of myself, especially during training."

"Wow, thanks for the confidence. I didn't realize that having a boyfriend 'clouded my judgement' or made me 'lose control.'" Maddie huffed and glared at Nina.

Nina quickly turned the water off and wrapped herself in a towel. '_I need to learn to think before I speak,' _she cursed herself. "Maddie, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it that way."

Maddie rolled her eyes. "I know. It's just really frustrating to hear you say something like that because you really _don't _know what you're talking about. You don't have any experience with-"

Nina turned red and cut her off. "I do _too _have experience-"

"I don't mean _sexual_ experience, Nina, I mean _romantic _experience. You've always been too scared to-"

"I'm not scared of anything!" she snapped, trying to keep her voice down so it wouldn't echo so loudly in the quiet shower room.

"Stop cutting me off! You always do this, Nina," Maddie retorted. "You get so defensive and you refuse to listen to what anyone has to say to you because _god forbid_ you be _wrong _about anything."

Nina shifted uncomfortably and looked away. Maddie continued, "I'm your best friend. Stop acting like I'm attacking you. I love you, and I just want to the best for you. I'm not saying you need to throw yourself at any man that gives you his attention, I'm just saying that you shouldn't be scared of falling in love. What are you so scared of, anyways? You're in _Dauntless._"

Nina shrugged. "I don't know… I guess you're right…" Maddie glared. "Fine, I know you're right. I don't _know _why I'm scared. It just seems so, so… pointless to me."

Maddie threw her hands up, exasperated. "It's not _pointless. _It's _amazing. _To have someone who loves you and respects you and appreciates you for who you are…"

Nina shot her a lopsided grin. "Now you're getting all mushy."

Maddie jabbed her in the side. "Anyways, just think about it sometime."

Nina laughed. "Oh, I will. In fact, I'll ask Tommy or Timmy or whoever-the-fuck on a date tomorrow, just for you." She followed her friend out of the showers into the dormitory.

Maddie lowered her voice as they walked by some of the sleeping initiates. "Ew, not him."

Nina also whispered. "What!? What's wrong with him? You _just_ told me to be more open to all this lovey-dovey crap. Plus he's pretty cute, you gotta admit."

"I meant with someone who likes you for your _personality_, not someone who just wants to jump in bed with you." Maddie rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I had someone else in mind," she winked. When she saw Nina's look of confusion she giggled. "Girl, you are so clueless."

When they reached their bunk, Maddie abruptly stopped, causing Nina to collide with her back. "Oh, hell."

Nina's jaw dropped when she saw what had shocked her friend. The mattress that Nina slept on nightly was missing, replaced by a single note with writing identical to the one left by the shoe-thief.

"_Your mattress is at the bottom of the chasm. Where you belong."_

* * *

**I genuinely take your reviews to heart and use your feedback to improve my writing. So if there's something you loved or hated about this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know!**


	7. Torch

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Torch**

Nina crumpled the white note in her palm, her other hand holding up her towel.

"_Your mattress is at the bottom of the chasm. Where you belong."_

Hot tears of anger wetted her eyes. "What the _fuck _did I do to deserve this?" Alcohol sloshed about in her stomach, and she felt nauseous once again. "Does anyone in here want to tell me what the fuck is going on?!" Some of the sleeping initiates rolled about in their beds, their rest having been disrupted by her loud voice. _'Good,' _she thought bitterly.

"I don't know, Marina," said Maddie seriously, placing her hand tenderly on her friend's arm. "But it's late, and we're drunk and tired. We have training in the morning. Let's just go to bed and deal with this in the morning."

Nina complied, too drunk to think of a better plan, and climbed to the top bunk after throwing on some clothes. She slid under the covers with Maddie, and tried to find a good sleeping position in the cramped space. Her friend's soft snores soon filled her ears, but she couldn't fall asleep. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the sight of the sleeping initiates. _'Who could have done this?' _Her eyes landed on the Tae, the raven-haired girl who whined more than anyone she'd ever met._ 'Tae hates me, but she's far too small to carry a heavy mattress.' _

Nina tried to remember if the mattress had been in her bed when Amir and Maddie had half-carried her back into the dormitory earlier in the evening. Surely the culprit hadn't dragged the mattress to the chasm while everyone was there drinking and socializing; that would have caused quite a commotion. The thief also could have acted earlier in the evening, while everyone was at dinner, or later, when most people were in bed. _'Oh, it's no use. I don't know if the bed was there or not when we got back, and I don't remember if anyone was missing at any point tonight.' _

Maddie's body heat rolled over Nina, who broke out in a sweat. She turned over, trying to get comfortable, to no avail. The bed was too small for two. She gave up on sleep and jumped lightly to her feet. When she landed, a wave of dizziness temporarily blinded her, and she had to clutch the bunk frame to keep from falling.

As she marched angrily out of the dormitory, she paused by Clark's sleeping form. Even in his sleep, the boy's face held a hateful smirk. Nina suspected that he was responsible for stealing her shoes and mattress, and she briefly fantasized about spitting in his face. She thought of a chain then, the weapon Eric had made her promise she'd choose during weapon training, and imagined wrapping it around Clark's neck. She choked back the violent image, and instead leaned down to steal the laces from his shoes. _'Take that, asshole.'_

Nina jogged as quietly as should could through the corridors, her bare feet slapping against the cool cavern floor. Her steps felt heavy and nausea rolled in her stomach. She stopped to catch her breath, and leaned her reeling head against the wall. _'Note to future self: don't attempt physical activity when drunk.'_

She walked slowly to the Pit, focused on taking balanced steps. Just as she was about to enter, two quiet voices jarred her to a stop. Her eyes widened and she crouched down in the shadows. Her heart rate pulsed loudly in her ears, so loudly she worried it would be audible to the two men. She forced herself to take even, slow breaths in an attempt to stay silent.

"We strike in four weeks, after Initiation Day. We can't afford to wait any longer, and Jeanine's plan of action is ready." Max's voice was low and it sent a bolt of fear to the pit of Nina's stomach. Her mind instantly pulled up the memories of the conversation she'd heard a few day prior. About Jeanine, Abnegation, and an unknown terrorist group called Divergent. _'Oh my god,' _she thought. _'This is it. They must be talking about attacking Abnegation.'_

"How will we get all the Dauntless members to fight for us? And what about the Divergent?" The deep voice was unmistakable. It held undercurrents of authority, and, to Nina's surprise, confusion. She had never witnessed Eric be anything other than calm, cool, and collected.

"Don't worry about that. I have it under control. They'll fight for us. You trust me, right?" Max's voice pressed sternly.

"Of course, sir." Nina detected a hint of hesitation in Eric's voice.

"Good. That's why you're ranked as highly as you are, Eric. Just keep doing your part – I need you to uncover any Divergent members, including initiates. If you succeed, who knows, you might be up for promotion."

The men's steps crossed the Pit, away from her. She remained crouched in the darkness for a few moments longer. _'What the fuck is going on? I'm not fighting for them, and they can't make me.' _Dread sent an aching spasm in her chest. _'They can't make me, right?' _She fought off a wave of dizziness as an image of Max pressing a gun to her temple flashed in her mind. _'Four weeks. Four weeks. FUCK. Four weeks to figure this out. And if I don't play by the rules… What happens then? Will I become Factionless? Will I be thrown to the Outside? Will I be killed?' _

Fear coiled tightly in her veins, spreading a chill through her body that instantly sobered Nina. The sound of rushing water from the Chasm matched the sound of blood rushing in her ears. The noise reminded her what she'd come here to do. She peeked her head around the corner to make sure she was alone, then darted to the edge of the Chasm. She pressed her body against the rails, which were slick with spray, and looked down into the darkness.

The drop to the bottom of the Chasm was far. She could just barely see dark, jagged rocks amongst the swiftly running water. And there, around a bend, a white block stood out from the black water. Her mattress.

There was a set of narrow steps, slippery with water, that lead down to the bottom of the Chasm. But she knew there was no point in trying to retrieve her mattress. Even if she miraculously made it to the bottom in her inebriated state without losing her footing, there was no way she was strong enough to carry the mattress back up alone. And by now, her mattress was likely soaked anyways.

Nina groaned and sat, slipping her legs under the wet rails. She contemplated going back to share Maddie's bed, but knew the cramped bed, her friend's body heat and snores would keep Nina awake regardless. _'This is just fucking fantastic. I might as well sleep right here.' _She leaned her head against the cool railing and closed her eyes. The sound of the rushing waterfall soothed her agitated mind.

A cool hand pressed against her back and Nina jolted. "I could push you in right now," said a dark voice.

Nina jumped to her feet and spun around, her heart racing. Facing her was Eric, a smirk on his face. "Fuck, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Maybe you should learn to be more aware of your surroundings."

Nina scowled. She knew he was right – especially now that a mysterious enemy was after her.

"What are you doing here, Nina?" he continued.

Fear froze her. _'He knows what I know.'_

"I – I just…" she stammered.

A look of confusion swept across Eric's face, and she realized that he didn't know she'd overheard his conversation with Max. Relief flooded her. _'Just play along, Nina. Don't lose your cool,' _she thought. "I can't sleep."

He lifted his eyebrow. He approached her and stepped beside her at the rail, his muscular arm brushing her skin. Her arm felt hot where it was in contact with his. "Why, cause you're wasted?"

She scoffed and fidgeted with the shoelace in her hand. "I'm _not _drunk. "

He rolled his eyes. "Nina, you were all over the place tonight in the Pit. And you were loud, _very _loud," he emphasized with a cocky expression in his eyes.

A blush colored her cheeks as she realized what he was implying – that he'd heard her outburst about being horny. "Well, anyways, no, I mean that I literally _can't _sleep." She nodded to the Chasm, and Eric looked down, searching the darkness. When his eyes lit upon the mattress, he started to chuckle.

"It's not fucking funny," she snapped.

Eric only laughed more. "It's fucking hilarious."

Nina realized she had never heard him laugh, and that his laugh was a very nice one. Then she began to think about the absurdity of the fact that her mattress had been thrown into the chasm by some immature prick, and she too began to chuckle. "Fine, it's a little funny. But it still mostly sucks."

Eric nodded, the smile fading from his face. Nina instantly missed it, and cursed herself for feeling that way. Eric was dangerous, and she couldn't afford to get caught up in lust for him, or whatever it was that she felt. "Come with me," he said as he turned away.

She didn't question him as she followed him through winding corridors, heading to what she assumed was a storage room with extra mattresses. To her surprise, he stopped at the door of his apartment and unlocked it.

"Um, what are we doing here, Eric?"

He walked inside and held the door open for her. "You need a place to sleep, don't you?"

Nina felt heat in her cheeks as a naughty vision came to mind. "I am _not _sleeping with you." _'Not now anyways,' _she added in her head, before mentally correcting herself. _'Not ever, if I'm smart.'_

He raised an eyebrow and walked into his small kitchen to get a glass of water. "Yea, I'm aware. I have a couch."

She looked away, embarrassed for having assumed he wanted to share a bed, and surveyed his studio. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he'd managed to keep the place tidy since she'd cleaned it. "So, does this mean I owe you again, or something?"

"No, it means I'm doing you a favor. As a friend." Eric shot her a sly grin. "Unless you _want _to owe me. I'm sure I can come up with something."

Nina ignored his sarcastic remark, her thoughts focused on the word 'friend.' She turned her head to hide the hesitant grin that bloomed on her face. _'Does he mean that, really?' _She exhaled and focused. _'Nina, stop it. You're acting like an idiot.'_

She settled down on his couch. "Pretty comfy. Have a spare blanket?"

"No, but that doesn't matter. You're sleeping on my bed. Get up."

Nina complied, uncertainty spreading across her face. Eric instantly lay across the couch, tucking a pillow beneath his head.

"You sure? I don't want to inconvenience you."

"You're not an inconvenience," he replied, his answer muffled by the cushion under his head.

"Well, thanks, Eric." She bit her bottom lip as she looked longingly at his bed. Nina felt bad for sleeping in it, especially with her dirty bare feet, but exhaustion won over. She crawled under the covers, cursing the fact that she would have to wake up in just a few hours. Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was that Eric's pillows smelled like pine needles, and that this wasn't how she'd fantasized being in his bed.

* * *

_Icy water filled Nina's mouth and nose. She flailed her arms, searching desperately for the surface. All around her was darkness. Her muscles were in agony as she swam, desperate for oxygen._

_The sound of rushing water lured Nina in its direction. She emerged beneath a waterfall, gasping for air. The water beat down on her bare head and shoulders, and she was paralyzed under its force._

_Metal pressed to her temple and the sound of a gun being cocked struck fear in her chest. "Get up." A shadowy figure spoke harshly. _

"_No."_

"_Get up!"_

"_No!"_

_The gun fired._

Nina awoke with a jolt, gasping, sweat running down her back.

"You are fucking hard to get up. We have to go, now." Eric was standing at the foot of the bed, a familiar stern expression on his face.

She pressed her palm against her chest, trying to catch her breath. She tried not to stare at Eric's body as he pulled a fresh shirt over his head. She jumped out of the bed. "Damn, I don't have sneakers or anything." At least she was wearing clothing suitable for training.

"That's too fucking bad. We're late. Let's go."

When they sauntered into the training room, only a couple of minutes late, the entire group of initiates and Four turned to stare at them. Nina realized immediately what it looked like, coming in with Eric after not having slept in the dormitory the night before. She tried to ignore the looks as she stopped beside her friends, who had kindly brought her shoes for her. Amir smirked and cocked his eyebrow at her, and Maddie had a 'told-ya-so' grin on her face. "Guys, it's not what you think," said Nina, rolling her eyes. "I'll explain later."

Eric, calm and collected as usual, addressed the group. "This morning we'll be visiting the Fence. Those of you currently in the lowest rankings will be getting a taste today of your future as a guard." His eyes were cold steel. "If you pass initiation, that is."

Eric and Four led the way out of the compound, the transfers marching behind them. When they reached the roof, Nina stopped to take a deep breathe of air. She'd become accustomed to the cool, damp air of the cavern. Outside, the air felt hot and heavy.

"We're taking the train to the Fence, then later we're stopping at Amity to exchange packages," said Eric. The trains were approaching, and he had to raise his voice to be heard above the noise. "Those of you with family in Amity are advised not to speak with anyone. You'll get a chance for that on Visitation Day." His face turned to Nina and she read the meaning in his eyes: to be Dauntless meant to be fiercely loyal. Faction before blood. She nodded to show that she understood. Then Eric turned and pulled himself gracefully onto moving train cart.

Nina pulled herself onto a cart with her friends. She stood tensely at the open compartment door, the rushing wind whipping her hair in her face. Beside her was Q, his dark hands clasped tightly before him. As they traveled through the outer banks of the city, approaching the Fence, they passed an area filled with grey, orderly buildings. Abnegation. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest with anxiety. She looked over at Q, who was staring longingly at the compound, an expression of nostalgia in his black eyes.

"Are you from there?" she asked him quietly.

Q looked into her eyes for a moment, studying her pensively, then nodded. He opened his mouth, and hesitated, before speaking softly. "My 11 year old sister is there. She wants to go to Amity. I think she's too shy." He shot Nina a warm, genuine smile that she gladly returned. It was the most he'd spoken in days. Nina understood that Q was not wasteful with words, and when he spoke, it was worth listening.

For the rest of the train ride, Nina thought of Q's little sister. She imagined Q with her, picking her up, playing with her, teasing her. She thought of Q's family, imagined them sitting quietly together at dinner. She thought about all the families in Abnegation, and their devotion to selflessness and humility. And then she thought of their leader, Marcus Eaton, and of the horrible things she'd heard about him. The rumors of his abuse. The rumors of his betrayals. She closed her eyes tightly, willing her tears away.

She realized then that the political system that she'd put her faith into, that everyone had trusted, was nothing more than a corrupt hive of wasps. The leaders at the top, people like Max, Jeanine, and Eaton vied for power – and they'd do whatever they had to do to get it. Be it lie to their people. Be it construct a mutiny. Be it violence. They were _monsters. _When she opened her eyes again, she'd made up her mind. She wouldn't be a pawn in their game. And she wouldn't go down without a fight.

* * *

After visiting the Fence, the transfers spent an hour at the entrance of the Amity compound, unloading packages from the train and reloading the carts with boxes. Nina did her best to keep her head down, but every few minutes she found herself subconsciously searching for her parents, for her old friends and classmates.

The noon sun was beating down on the initiates, and Nina's arms were trembling with the exertion of lifting heavy boxes repeatedly. She was envious of the male transfers, who were able to take their shirts off to beat the heat. Her tank top was sticky with sweat, and she couldn't wait to get a shower later. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eric working shirtless, his tattooed skin glistening with sweat.

A familiar whistle caught Nina's attention, and she snapped up, looking for the source of the sound. The gate to Amity was being opened, and a pick up truck was returning to the compound, the bed loaded with crates filled with fruit. She smiled widely, recognizing the driver of the truck as her father, and the woman in the passenger seat as her mother. As they passed by the working transfers, her mother Helen whistled again, and the tune of Nina's favorite sing about a phoenix carried in the wind. Then the truck passed into the compound, and the gates were shut.

* * *

The Glock was sleek and cool in Nina's hand. She relaxed her outstretched arms, letting the weight of the gun settle. Her feet were a shoulder width apart, and her form was steady. She fired, and her bullet hit the center of the red bullseye.

"Damn, Nina, you're good at this," Amir commented with a competitive grin. "Remind me to never get in a gun fight with you."

The initiates had spent the afternoon after the trip to Amity learning about gun safety and shooting techniques. It was now the following morning, and the group was practicing shooting in the weapon training facility. Nina had been glad to find a new mattress waiting for her in the dormitory the previous evening. She assumed Eric had ordered it for her. She also was surprised and pleased to learn that she was a natural with a gun.

She winked at Amir and shot again, this time hitting the outer edge of the bullseye. Her target was marked with several bullet points, all near the bullseye. She turned to check out the weapons rack, and traded her pistol for a rifle.

She stood for a moment to watch the progress of her friends. Q, who'd shined the previous week in physical combat, was struggling now with guns training. His target had no marks in the center of the ring, but Four was working with him. Maddie and Amir were doing fairly well, though both had yet to progress to different guns. Clark had a mediocre shot, which Nina was happy to see. The cocky boy could use a few shots to his ego.

She turned to watch Tae. The pale girl struggled to hold up the shotgun in her hand. Her arms tensed as she lifted the gun up and aimed at the target. The force of the recoil caused Tae to flinch and jump away. She dropped the gun, which slid several feet away from her.

"Go get it," barked Eric.

Tae winced. She timidly stepped forward, but darted back when she realized that everybody was still shooting. The distance between each shooting initiate was several feet, but she still feared getting hit. Nina rolled her eyes._ 'This girl again. When is she gonna grow a backbone?'_

"What the fuck are you waiting for," bellowed Eric.

The girl whispered meekly and Eric yelled at her to speak louder.

"I'm scared to get hit," she repeated, her lips trembling.

Eric cracked his knuckles maliciously and a silence enveloped the room as the initiates stopped to see what would happen. "Go stand in front of your target."

Tae hesitated and an expression of pure fear hooded her eyes. A look of loathing from Eric caused the girl to scamper to the target. She stood in front of it quivering. She was short in statute, so her head was just one inch below the bullseye.

"Four, get me a BS-60 Hart," said Eric gruffly. Four complied and emerged from the locked weapon cabinet with a large, sleek gun unlike the ones the initiates had been practicing with. It looked futuristic, and absolutely terrifying. Eric motioned for Nina to approach him. She did, unsure what he wanted with her, and was surprised when he dropped the heavy metallic gun in her hand.

Eric turned to face Tae, who was cowering under the target. "You've been scared to be here since day one. Fear has no place in Dauntless. Your cowardice makes you weak and vulnerable. I'll give you a choice now. Either you let Nina shoot three bullets into the bullseye, or you're out of Dauntless."

There was an immediate uproar from the initiates. "No fucking way," shouted Nina. "This isn't a fucking game, Eric, I could kill her."

"Yes," cried Tae, "I'll do it. Fine, I'll do it!" The raven-haired girl had a weak fire in her eyes that Nina had never seen.

Eric looked coldly at Nina and she trembled. She pleaded with him. "No, Eric. I can't do it."

"You'll do it or you'll be kicked out of Dauntless," he said frigidly.

Nina contemplated shooting Eric in the foot to wipe that smug expression off his face. Instead, she turned to look at Tae. The pale girl nodded at her, urging her to do this task.

Nina's arms quivered as she lifted the weapon. The gun was thick, sturdy, and much heavier than the other guns she'd been practicing with. _'Breath easy, girl. You can do this. You've been hitting that bullseye all day.' _She tried to calm herself down, but she knew Tae's life was on the line.

Tae closed her eyes tightly and Nina fired. The bullet hit the top corner of the target. A worthless shot.

"That was bullshit, Nina. I've seen you do better," said Eric.

"You're such an asshole," she muttered under her breath. She lifted the gun again and aimed at the bullseye. _'Just pretend Tae's head isn't there. Just pretend Tae's head isn't one inch below your target…'_

Nina fired again, this time hitting the top-right corner of the bullseye. Tae whimpered but nodded at Nina to continue.

"Two more," Eric spoke gruffly.

"I fucking _know _that," she snapped. She lifted the gun and fired again. The bullet sank into the bottom of the bullseye. Tae cried out, and Nina knew she had just barely missed the girl's scalp.

Nina's arms trembled as she raised the gun, and she blinked away tears that she hadn't realized were there. She fired, but this time her bullet was way off mark. It hit the outermost ring.

"You've been hitting the damn bullseye all day," said Eric lazily.

"Seriously, shut the _fuck _up. I hate you," she retorted sharply.

Eric's eyes were steely and calm. "No, you don't. Just hit the bullseye. You know you can."

Nina blinked away more tears as she leveled the gun up. Her muscles were tense and her chest was tight with anxiety. She took a deep breath as she aimed the gun at the bullseye. She fired.

The bullet hit the center of the bullseye cleanly. It was the best shot she'd fired all day. Tae collapsed to her knees, relieved that the task was over and that she had another chance to stay in Dauntless.

"You see," Eric faced Nina with an arrogant smile, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Nina dropped the gun, which clashed to the floor. Then she reared her hand up, and smacked Eric with full force.

* * *

**I'm sorry I didn't update sooner! I've been quite busy. I wrote a longer-than-usual chapter to compensate :) ****I genuinely take your reviews to heart and use your feedback to improve my writing. So if there's something you loved or hated about this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know!**


	8. Catch Fire

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for ****_moderate _****violence, language, and sexual themes.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Catch Fire**

The sound of the smack reverberated in the room and Nina instantly regretted having dared to hit Eric, though she had no doubt that he had deserved it. The force of her slap had pushed his face to the side, and he kept it there, the muscles in his neck stiff and tense. "Everybody get out," he growled.

Four lead the initiates out of the weapons training room, and Nina backed away cautiously; the way prey tries to sneak away from a predator. Eric reached out and grabbed her wrist, keeping her anchored. "Not you," he stated frigidly. His blue eyes revealed icy anger, but she looked resolutely into them, determined not to look away.

Tae passed her, and Nina trembled as she recalled the way the sleek gun had fit in her hands. The bullets had punctured the bulls-eye just an inch above Tae's head. One bullet had grazed Tae's scalp, and she'd cried out in pain. _'I almost killed someone today.' _The metal door clanged shut with the departure of the last initiate. Eric swept down to pick up the gun that lay at Nina's feet. The gun she'd almost killed an innocent girl with. Because of him.

Eric spun the gun carelessly in his palms. "Do you want to explain why the fuck you just smacked me?"

"Cause you're an asshole," she snapped. "You are sadistic and cruel. I almost just _killed _someone because of you!"

He chuckled darkly. "I don't think so."

"Oh, so you're denying being an asshole." She stubbornly crossed her arms.

"No. I'm saying that you're lying about why you hit me."

Nina tensed and warily eyed the gun, which he was haphazardly flipping in the air. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means I think you have a problem with authority, Nina." Eric stepped close to her, his body heat radiating over her. He lifted the barrel of the gun and rested it against her jawline. Nina instantly stiffened. "I think you don't like being told what to do. Am I right?"

_"_What the fuck are you doing, Eric?" The barrel of the gun was cold and hard on her jaw. _'This is it. I'm done for. I should have shot him when I had the chance.'_

Eric moved the barrel of the gun across Nina's lips like it was a lover's caress. "I want to make you scream." His voice was husky. Then he stepped back, aimed the gun at Nina's foot, and fired.

She instantly dropped to the floor, the pain tearing through her flesh like wildfire. She bit back a scream, refusing to give Eric the pleasure of accomplishing what he'd set out to do. "Oh my fucking god, you fucking_ maniac_. What the _fuck _is wrong with you?!" She tenderly cradled her foot and stared up at Eric incredulously.

"You have a dirty mouth, Nina. I like that about you. What I don't like about you is that you think you know fucking everything. You're constantly questioning everything I say, and it's about time you learned your lesson."

She pressed her eyes shut and tried to calm down by taking deep, even breaths. Her foot was throbbing with agonizing pain.

"Why don't you tell me what you know about this gun, little miss know-it-all?"

Her eyes snapped open. "I don't know Eric, what the hell?! You just shot me!"

He paced in front of her calmly, undeterred by her shouts. "It's a BS-60 Hart. It weighs in heavily for a gun of its size and it's constructed primarily of stainless steel. It has a relatively low rate of fire, for obvious reasons - well, obvious to anyone who knows anything about guns, which you clearly do not."

"I don't give a fuck! You're trying to kill me, you fucking psycho!" She glanced around in panic, searching for potential exit paths, and began to breath erratically.

"Nina, calm the fuck down." He raised the gun and fired at Nina's shoulder. She clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle her scream. An image of a cat playing with a mouse before killing it suddenly came to her mind. The pain from her shoulder overrode the pain in her foot, which was beginning to feel numb.

Eric didn't spare Nina a glance as he continued to talk. "The BS-60 Hart is often used in initiate training, combat simulation, and exercises like today's - with that miserable, whiny cunt Tae. Can you guess what sets this particular gun apart from others?"

"What the fuck do you want, Eric?!" Nina begged him. He replied by shooting her again, in the leg. This time she could not contain her cry of pain, and she was fuming for having screamed like he'd wanted her to. She whimpered and clutched at her leg, but was surprised to see no sign of bleeding.

"'BS' stands for bullet simulator. '60' indicates how many seconds the pain lasts. In another minute you won't be feeling anything." Then he dropped the weapon to the floor and walked away, leaving Nina angry and humiliated.

* * *

In the late afternoon, Nina stopped by the tattoo parlour in search of Sonya. It was dinnertime, so the parlour was empty expect for the dark, dread-locked woman, who was diligently cleaning up and organizing. An empty plate littered with crumbs rested on her workbench.

"Hey, kitty cat. How come you're skipping dinner?"

"I'm not particularly hungry…" Nina stated irritably. She hopped onto Sonya's workbench and flipped through a sketchbook.

Sonya placed her fist on her hip. "Could that have anything to do with you slapping Eric this morning?"

Nina shrugged and sighed. "How did you hear about that?"

"Let's just say word spreads fast around here." Sonya began to run her fingers through the tangles in Nina's hair. She'd been pulling at her locks all day as she mulled over what had happened with Eric. She was pissed. She was _really _fucking pissed. And she was especially pissed because deep down, she understood the reason why he'd done it. He'd taught Tae a valuable lesson in facing her fears. And when Nina had retaliated, he'd had to put her in her place. Remind her that she didn't know everything. Remind her who was the boss. "Well you're _not _the boss of me," she muttered under her breath. "No one's the boss of me."

Sonya cocked her eyebrow. "Mhmm, girl, I know you have a story for me. Tell me what happened. Eric's been in a foul-ass mood all day and he won't tell me anything…"

"Ouch, bitch," joked Nina as Sonya worked through a particularly tangled lock of her hair. Then she began to narrate what had happened to her that day, the lesson that Eric had taught her… or, had attempted to teach her anyways. She shuddered as she recounted Eric's caustic words and the biting pain of the BS-60 Hart. The fake bullets had detached themselves from her skin after 60 seconds, as Eric had promised, but they left small, circular marks that were sore.

By the time Nina finished telling Sonya everything that had happened, her hair was tangle-free. Yet Sonya continued to gently run her fingers through Nina's hair, in a way that she found comforting. After a few moments of peace, Sonya broke the silence. "He wasn't always like that, you know. He hasn't always been so… obsessed with power."

Nina spun to look at Sonya. "What do you mean?"

"Did you know I was a transfer from Erudite?"

Nina's eyes widened with shock, and she nodded her head 'no.'

"Yup. I was a good ol' bookworm from Erudite. Just like Eric."

Nina's jaw dropped. Eric was so arrogant, so confident, so cocky… she'd just assumed he was a Dauntless-born.

"Want a tat, kitty cat?" Sonya asked, grinning at her clever little rhyme. Nina shrugged and nodded, so Sonya inserted a clean needle into her tattoo gun. "Eric and I have always been tight, even before we went through initiation together. I guess it was just natural for us to be close. Who else in Erudite understood the desire for recklessness? Who else in Erudite understood the desire to want to be –"

"- a total bad ass?" Nina cut her off with a smile, and Sonya nodded. "So, you and Eric…?" She let the unspoken question hang in the air, and her chest suddenly felt tense as she waited for the answer.

"Um, ew, no," laughed Sonya. "I _don't _roll that way, if you know what I mean."

The coil in Nina's chest immediately relaxed. "It was like that for me and Maddie too. We've been best friends forever. We just _get _each other, the way no one else in Amity ever did." She pursed her lips as she anxiously added in her head '_not that it seems that way anymore sometimes, now that Amir is in the way…' _She forced herself to banish that thought from her head.

"Eric was always rebellious and brash," Sonya continued as she began to clean the skin on Nina's collarbone with a wipe. "Always competitive, as you might imagine. But when he transferred to Dauntless, it just got worse. He's _so_ competitive with Four. They're constantly competing for authority. Eric is so power-hungry these days. It's so unlike him. Back in the day, he was all 'Fuck Authority,' you know what I mean? He used to question everything, he never let himself be swayed by what the leaders said." Sonya shook her head side-to-side, disappointment clear in her expression.

Nina mulled this over as Sonya began to fill the tattoo well with dark ink. She recalled the tantalizing offer she'd overheard Max make Eric: "_Just keep doing your part – I need you to uncover any Divergent members, including initiates. If you succeed, who knows, you might be up for promotion._"

"I'm not saying that what Eric did today was good or bad. He had his reasons. Of course it's always good to be able to admit that you don't know everything. But that doesn't mean you should ever just blindly do what you're told. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in. And if today you believed that Eric deserved a slap, well then..." Sonya chuckled, lightening the mood. "Anyways, I'm just telling you this so that you understand that Eric isn't a bad guy. He's fiercely loyal to his friends and he's smart as a whip. He's still got some of that 'Fuck Authority' attitude in him, somewhere deep down. Don't give up on him yet."

Nina nodded to indicate that she understood. "Thanks, Sonya. I appreciate your advice."

"No problem. So, kitty cat," Sonya lifted the tattoo gun to Nina's collarbone. "Have you decided what you want?"

* * *

"Saved you a burger from dinner." Amir tossed Nina a napkin-wrapped sandwich, and she instantly felt guilty for having thought poorly of him earlier.

"Thanks," she said with a genuine smile. She sat on the bottom bunk and devoured the burger.

"Feeling better?" asked Maddie from the top bunk, where she lay outstretched.

"Urhm-hrm," Nina answered through a thick mouthful of burger. Amir made a grossed-out face. Nina swallowed the last of her food and stuck her tongue out at him. "Sonya gave me a pep-talk, of sorts. What about you, Mads? You look kinda pale."

Maddie shifted on the top bunk and sat up. "Ugh, yea. Me and Amir went for a jog after dinner, and I got a weird cramp in my chest. It's gone away now though."

"It was a bad idea to exercise after dinner," added Amir.

"Well, anyways, I'm glad you're feeling better cause we have plans tonight." Nina wigged her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, really. And what plans are these?" asked Amir.

Nina winked and flashed a mysterious grin. "Dress warmly."

* * *

The wind blowing at the top of the building bit ferociously through Nina's clothing, despite the layers. Her hair whipped in the air, and Maddie offered her a hair tie that she gladly accepted.

"Glad you could make it," said Sonya as she approached them. "This is basically a sacred Dauntless tradition. You're not really Dauntless if you haven't zip-lined off the top of the John Hancock building."

"How high did you say we were?" asked Amir, his eyes flashing about alertly.

"Heights aren't really his thing," explained Maddie.

"Clearly," laughed Nina. "Better suck it up, big boy."

Amir lightly punched Nina. "I will." He wrapped his arms around Maddie.

They approached the edge of the building and watched members of Dauntless being strapped into the security harnesses attached to the zip-line. Some members flew solo, while others were strapped in with a friend or lover.

"You have to release yourself at the end of the zip-line," explained Sonya. "There'll be a group at the bottom to catch you."

"And if you don't detach in time?" asked Maddie.

"Splat," answered Sonya grimly.

Nina watched as a girl jumped from the platform edge and flew gracefully in the air like a bullet. She grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared between two distant buildings, following the convoluted path of the zip-line.

"Wow," she whispered in awe.

"It's awesome, isn't it?" One of the twins, Tommy/Timmy, appeared beside Nina. She resigned herself to the fact that she couldn't remember which twin was which.

"Yes, definitely," she smiled up at him.

Maddie and Amir were strapped in next. The harnesses linked them together, and Maddie looped her arms around Amir's neck. She leaned in and lightly kissed him on the mouth. He whispered something into her ear, and then they leapt off the platform together. They whisked into the cool night air, flying rapidly down the zip-line.

"Zip-lining is the best. And there's nothing like your first time," Tommy/Timmy winked. "Are you gonna fly tandem?"

"I don't know about that. I'm thinking of flying solo for my first experience." Nina looked at him in the moonlight, studying his handsome face. Her memory of his appearance had been blurred by alcohol the first time she met him, but now she saw that he had sharp features, bright green eyes, and messy red hair. "Maybe another time, it could be fun," she added flirtatiously.

Someone pulled on her ponytail lightly from behind. "Your hair is tangled again! After all the work I did today," laughed Sonya.

"I know, it's the wind's fault!"

"A likely story," Sonya stuck her tongue out. She stepped up to the platform to be strapped in. "Catch you on the flip side, kitty cat." Then she stepped off the building and whizzed down the zip-line.

"Next," called the purple-haired chick that was in charge of harnessing all the zip-liners.

Nina felt nerves dancing in her stomach as she stepped onto the platform. She looked down at the ground and her heart flipped. _'I'm so high up.' _She breathed deeply and forced herself to look away.

"You flying tandem?" asked the girl with the vibrant hair. Her face was mottled with piercing and tattoos.

"Nah," answered Nina.

"Yes." Eric stepped onto the platform.

"Fuck off, Eric," snapped Nina. The purple-haired girl began to harness in Eric, linking his straps to Nina's.

"No, I don't think I will."

"Seriously Eric, go away."

The purple-haired girl smacked her bubble-gum loudly as she finished adjusting the harness. "Are y'all gonna go, or what?"

"No!" Nina lightly pushed on Eric's chest, momentarily forgetting that he was now physically attached to her.

He smirked, placing his hands on Nina's waist, and stepped off the platform. Then, suddenly, they were soaring through the air, the frigid air cutting through Nina's clothing. The swell of the wind lifted her up and she felt like a hawk in flight; for a moment she really thought that she was in free-fall. Terror and excitement and pure adrenaline ripped through her chest and she screamed out in delight.

As they whipped through the frosty air, she was thankful for the heat of Eric's body pressed against hers. She forgot every bit of anger she felt towards him as they zoomed between buildings, flying so rapidly that it made her lightheaded. She looked down at the city in wonder, amazed at how small it all looked from this height. She let go of Eric and leaned back, her arms outstretched so that the only thing holding her to him was the harness. She closed her eyes, and as the wind whipped through her hair, she imagined she was a phoenix in flight, catching fire. She cried out in pleasure. She never felt so alive.

Eric wrapped his strong arms around her waist, pulling her close to him, and she leaned in, placing her head in the crook of his neck. Over his shoulder, she saw their reflection briefly as they zoomed past the large windows of an abandoned skyscraper. The stars twinkled above, and she felt like she could almost reach out to touch one. In the giddiness she felt at the moment, she planted a tender kiss on Eric's neck. She worried briefly that it would upset him, and she hoped he hadn't noticed, but then she decided to relax and just live in the moment. Eric tightened his hold on Nina, pulling her closer to his broad chest.

The buildings grew in size as they approached the end of the zip-line. Eric's voice was husky as he whispered, the heat of his breath tickling her ear. "You need to unclip the harness on the count of three."

She nodded and reached up, feeling for the clip.

"One – two – three!"

Nina unclipped the harness from the zip-line and they were momentarily in free-fall, then they landed with a light bounce into the outstretched arms of Dauntless members. The Dauntless all cheered and hooted as they placed Eric and Nina onto their feet on the pavement.

"That was amazing! I wanna do it again, and again, and again!" exclaimed Nina, throwing her hands up and twirling. She had a smile on her face so big that she felt it would never go away. Never had she felt more fierce. Never had she felt more Dauntless.

Eric had only a small, conservative smile on his face, but it was more smile than Nina was used to seeing. He turned to walk away, and began to disappear into the crowd.

"Wait, Eric." Nina reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him gently back to her.

"What is it?" In his steely eyes was a lightness Nina hadn't seen before, and she realized she understood both so much and so little about him.

"I have an answer for you," she replied cryptically.

He cocked his eyebrow in confusion.

"Earlier, you asked me a question. You asked me if I have a problem with authority. You asked me if I have a problem doing what I'm told."

He nodded and crossed his arms. "That I did."

"Well, I have your answer." Nina pulled off her sweater, revealing a tight dark tank top underneath. She ripped off the white bandage that covered her new tattoo: in large, black, block letters over her left collarbone were the words 'FUCK AUTHORITY.'

* * *

**What did you think of this chapter? Did you love it? Did you hate it? I definitely want to know what you think! And, as always, I appreciate _constructive _criticism. **

**Also, I want to apologize for updating later than usual! I aim to update biweekly: every other weekend. This past week has been hectic. Last week I had 3 exams and I also moved to a new house! I owe you all cookies.**


	9. Heat Wave

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for ****_moderate _****violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Heat Wave**

Nina hummed her favorite song as she twisted Maddie's long, wet hair into a French braid. The girls were relaxing before dinner, wiped out after a day of shooting exercises. The week of gun training was coming to a close, with only one day left. The initiates had progressed from shooting stationary targets to shooting moving targets while running. Next week they would be selecting and training with a secondary weapon of choice. Well, the other transfers would be choosing anyways; Nina had promised Eric she would select the chain as her weapon. The idea of the impending one-on-one training with him made her stomach flutter with nerves.

Maddie began to softly sing the lyrics to the Phoenix song as Nina tied off the end of the plait with a band. Nina placed her head on her friend's shoulder and smiled; Maddie's serene voice and the enchanting lyrics never failed to fill her with nostalgia and joy.

"Hey, let's have a girl night tonight. It's been too long since we hung out, just the two of us," suggested Nina. "We can raid a bottle of wine from the storage unit and get delightfully smashed."

"Mhmm, that sounds wonderful," Maddie grinned. "Red or white?"

"Red, pretty please."

"You know I prefer white. Oh well, I _guess_ we'll just have to raid two bottles," she feigned disappointment. The girls giggled but after a moment Maddie frowned. "Oh shoot. Can we do this another night? I've just remembered I already have plans with Amir."

"I see... Plans that don't include me, clearly." Nina cast her eyes downward, disappointed.

"Don't be mad, Marina. We're celebrating our 10 day anniversary tonight!"

"10 days? 10 _days_?! Get a grip, Mads. You barely know him," she scoffed.

"Oh, here we go again, with the relationship advice from the love guru. What is your fucking problem with Amir? And by the way, you're being pretty hypocritical. I know there's something going on between you and Eric."

'_What's my problem?_' Nina thought. '_My problem is that today is my 17th birthday and you have totally forgotten. My problem is that I feel like I'm losing my best friend._' Instead she stood up and stated coldly: "I hope you enjoy your date." Then she marched out of the dormitory, not even stopping to slip on shoes.

* * *

Nina refused to go to dinner and face Maddie and Amir. She swung by the tattoo parlour and let herself in with the key Sonya gave her, so that she would be able to sketch or practice tattooing anytime. So far, Nina had a hard time finding anyone willing to be tattooed by an amateur, so she mostly just used her own skin to practice. She had begun to tattoo the lyrics to the Phoenix song on her arm, starting at the top. It was slow going, because she was using only one hand on herself and because she was still learning the techniques for tattooing letters. She'd designed the lyrics to encircle her arm in a spiral from her shoulder to her wrist.

Sonya usually ate dinner in the parlour instead of at the dining hall but today she was gone. Nina opened the mini-fridge and realized why: the fridge was bare except for a pack of beers. She treated herself to a bottle as she sketched. She'd completed her original drawing of a phoenix days earlier, but she was now attempting a more masculine, less flowery version. Soon the ache in her stomach could not be ignored, so she finished the last of the beer and closed her sketch pad. She grabbed another bottle, jotted a quick note for Sonya, and locked the parlour door behind her.

She finished up the beer as she rapped on Eric's door. He opened up and leaned against the frame, blocking her entrance. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for a visit. Aren't you going to let me in?"

He sighed but opened the door. "Why aren't you at dinner? And why are you barefoot?"

She looked down at her bare feet with surprise. "I guess it's an Amity thing. What is this, twenty questions?"

"Faction before blood," he reminded her sternly.

"Yea, yea," she said rolling her eyes. "Aren't you a real piece of work?" She tossed her empty bottle into the bin and sauntered over to his fridge. She opened it and appraised her options. Food, food, alcohol, food, alcohol. She decided to continue with her drink of choice of the night by selecting a bottle of beer. She perched herself on one of Eric's barstools, ignoring the wave of lightheadedness that suddenly washed over her, and began to rummage through a drawer in search of a bottle opener.

Eric snatched the bottle from her hands. "Does this look like the liqueur store to you?"

"Oh, come on Eric," Nina pouted her lips. "It's my birthday."

Eric contemplated, his muscular arms crossed sternly. Then he turned away, grabbed another bottle from the fridge, and opened both with a magnetic bottle opener. He handed one to Nina and began to sip on the other. "Have you eaten?"

"Beer has calories, right?" She answered playfully.

Eric scoffed, opened his pantry and took out bread, peanut butter and jam. Nina studied him quietly, the alcohol removing any inhibitions she might have had about checking him out so obviously. If his tongue was sharp, his muscles were sharper. He held the butter knife in his hand as comfortably as he would hold a sharp one, with intent to harm. He was deadly; a killing machine from head to toe. And she liked every inch of him. His tight black clothing accentuated his hard muscles. His face was decorated with rings and his skin was inked everywhere visible to the eye. Nina had a sudden desire to rip off his shirt and study the tattoos she knew he had underneath. She had seen him shirtless, touched him once, but always briefly. She closed her eyes and chugged the remainder of her beer. '_You're as bad as Maddie. Get your fucking shit together.'_

Eric set down a plate with a sandwich. "Eat," he demanded.

She complied gratefully, her body eager for food to fill her empty stomach. The kitchenette was filled only by the sounds of Nina chewing. She finally decided to break the silence. "So, Eric, how is life treating you?"

He stared at her incredulously and didn't answer.

"Well my life's pretty great, thanks for asking. I mean I'm sitting in silence eating a sandwich on my birthday. Life can't get any better than this."

Eric stole the sandwich from her and took a bite. "Birthdays are pointless. They just serve to mark the passage of 365 days of nonsense and mediocracy."

"Well, in Amity birthdays are a big deal. Actually, Amity just loves any excuse for a party."

"Faction before blood. How hard is that for you to understand?"

"Oh, you're on about this again. Yea, Eric, I get it. There's a reason I chose Dauntless and not Amity. But it's not like I can just erase years of my life. You're from Erudite. Don't you still have some of their traits?"

"Remind me to tell Sonya to stop spilling my secrets to you." Eric ate the last of the sandwich. "Want another?"

Nina shrugged in reply. "Why are you always so secretive? Being a transfer doesn't make you any less Dauntless."

He got up and started making a second sandwich but didn't answer her question. Nina had come to learn that Eric was generally a quiet person and he only spoke when he felt that he had something to say. He was not generous with his words. He chewed slowly and then offered the remaining half of the sandwich to her. Finally, he spoke. "Yes, I suppose."

"You suppose what?"

"I suppose I do still have some traits from Erudite. But I chose Dauntless. This is where I belong. That's the way the system works."

"But what if the system doesn't work?" she pressed on. "What if it's flawed?"

"It's not flawed. It's perfect. You either choose a Faction or you're Factionless. There's no in between," he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Got that?"

"Yea, geez," she laughed nervously. "Don't get so weird." The silence stretched on awkwardly and Nina wondered what she had said that had upset him. "Anyways, I never wanted a big party. This is nice, just hanging out with you," she blushed. She hadn't meant to say that outloud, but it was the truth. Eric was harsh, but he was genuine. Nina appreciated that. "I'm mainly just upset cause I wanted to spend time with Maddie but she's too busy being a girlfriend."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"What, _girlfriend_?" She felt nervous just saying the word, especially in front of _him_.

He nodded and she chose to ignore him, feigning interest in the meager decor of his kitchen. She pulled herself up onto the metallic counter, and kicked her feet out anxiously. She could feel his intense eyes studying her, the way she had just studied him. It made her feel naked and vulnerable. Like she was burning in ice, or freezing in fire.

"What's the reason?" he asked.

"What's the reason for what?" She stopped kicking her feet and looked at him, confused.

"You said there's a reason why you chose Dauntless and not Amity."

"Oh. That's easy. I chose Dauntless because I value courage above all else."

He stood up and placed his fists on the counter on either side of her legs. His scent overpowered her; pine needle and mint. She remembered it well from his pillowcase. She could feel the presence of his arms on either side of her. His hands were so close to her thighs yet not close enough. He drove her crazy without even touching her.

"What about you, Eric? Why did you choose Dauntless over Erudite?"

His icy, grey eyes captured hers. "Because I value courage above all else." His gaze was so intense that she almost had to look away.

He glanced down at her lips and she at his. And for one moment, for one, crazy moment, Nina thought that he was going to kiss her. She wondered what his lips would feel like against hers. Would his lips burn or freeze her skin? She felt heat rise to her cheeks. Did he know what she was thinking? Did he want this too?

And then the moment was gone. He turned away and started to brew coffee. "You need to go. I'm expecting company." His voice was frigid and hard.

Nina slipped out of his room quietly, seething. '_Fucking dammit. I hate the way he makes me feel. I hate myself for feeling this way_.' She thought of his parting words: "_I'm expecting company_." A date, obviously. He was expecting a fucking date. The thought of him with another woman made her blood freeze. '_Why?! He is nothing to me and I am nothing to him and it will always be that way._' She wouldn't have it any other way. She didn't need him as a distraction.

"Nina, hold up!"

She turned around to see who was calling her. It was the last person she would have expected: Tae. She had a determined expression on her face. "I want to ask you something."

"Um, ok..." Nina answered hesitantly.

Tae sighed deeply. "I'm ranked last. You're ranked fifth. I'm terrible at shooting. You're arguably the best shooter amongst the initiates. Tomorrow is our last day of gun training, and we start secondary weapon training next week. Then comes primary eliminations." She closed her eyes and breathed nervously. "I need your help. I need your help or else I'll be kicked out."

Nina crossed her arms and contemplated. The Amity voice in her screamed '_yes, I should help her!_' But the Dauntless in her was jaded. And a small, cruel voice in her head reminded her that Tae was competition that needed to be eliminated. "Why are you coming to me for help? I've been a bitch to you from the start. That's not an apology by the way."

"I know. I deserved it. I was whiny... I'm different now. I'm ready to work hard. It's just for tonight. One night to improve my shooting score," Tae begged.

"Right," Nina said indecisively, not quite believing that Tae was truly willing to work hard. She had to see it to believe it.

"And the reason I'm coming for you is... well, you're tough. You're a hard worker. I know that last week you stayed up late at night training. And it paid off."

Nina started pacing as she thought. "Say I help you. What do I get out of this?"

Tae smiled grimly. "I'll tell you who's been fucking with you."

Nina felt her blood boil as she thought about her stolen shoes and mattress. Someone dead set on fucking her over. "Clark."

"Is that what you think?" Tae answered mysteriously.

Nina eyed Tae in a new light. She was smarter than she'd expected. Nina extended her hand. "It's a deal."

* * *

After three hours of training, Nina had to admit that Tae had improved. A lot. Whatever change the raven-haired girl had experienced upon facing her supposed death, it had been for the better. Tae seemed to have a new outlook on life. She wasn't as weak and timid. Nina was even starting to like her.

The girls walked quietly back to their rooms, exhausted. They were slick with sweat, and they knew they would have only a few hours to sleep. But it had been worth it, atleast for Tae. Nina had no doubt in her mind that her new shooting talent would bump her from last place to 10th. From there on out, she had a week of secondary weapon training to stay in the safe zone before the first round of eliminations were announced.

"Alright," said Nina softly, aware that most of the cavern's inhabitants were asleep. "I held up my side of the bargain. Your turn."

Tae hesitated for a moment in anticipation of Nina's reaction. "It was Clark."

"What the fuck?! I guessed that earlier and you said it wasn't him!"

"I neither confirmed nor denied it. Would you have agreed to help me if I had told you then?"

Nina narrowed her eyes at Tae. "No. Fine. You're right."

Tae lowered her voice. "It wasn't just the shoes and mattress, you know. He's done other things too."

"Like what?" Nina nibbled on her bottom lip; a nervous habit.

"Small things. Like pouring water out of your bottle when you're not looking, so that you'd get dehydrated. And last week, during combat training, he put oil on his body before fighting you to make it harder for you. You kicked his ass anyways, but you know that's not fair fighting."

Nina's fists clenched in anger. She had indeed noticed her water bottle always seemed to be empty even when she hadn't been drinking much. And using oil to make it more difficult for her to punch him? That was just low.

"Nina, you need to be careful. Clark is obsessive. Things will escalate."

"How do you know these things?"

"I've known Clark forever. We're both from Erudite. To be honest, he's always terrified me. I think he's a total psycho."

"Fuck. Why me?"

"I honestly don't know. Like I said, he's obsessive. He was the same way with a girl in Erudite... She ended up in the clinic with a broken arm. And that was when we were 11 years old."

Nina shook her head. She couldn't believe it. She hadn't done anything to Clark to make him hate her. How far was he willing to go to eliminate her? She needed to watch her back.

As they rounded the corner that passed by Eric's apartment, Nina saw his door open. She twisted back around the wall and clamped her hand over Tae's mouth. She peeked her head around and saw Max step out into the darkness. Nina felt first an indescribable relief to know that Max was the company that Eric had been expecting; followed by terror when she imagined what they must have been discussing: Abnegation. War. Divergent. She still didn't know what that term meant but she had to find out. When the coast was clear, the two girls rushed quietly to the dormitory.

Nina fell asleep almost as soon as she got into bed, eager to forget the worst birthday she'd ever had. Her dreams were filled with dark visions of a looming man. Whether it was Clark or Eric she did not know.

But when she awoke she was drenched in sweat. And beneath her pillow was a solitary, red apple.

* * *

**Please let me know what you think of this chapter! Did you love it? Did you hate it? I always appreciate constructive criticism.**

**Also, I wrote this all from my phone, can you believe it? This is what happens when I'm on vacation in another country without my laptop. And I've already started the next chapter which will be very exciting, I promise! Should be out sometime in the next week.**


	10. Fumes

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for _moderate _violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Fumes**

_"A ring of wildflowers for your crown_  
_A sweet apple to lift your frown_  
_The sunshine of a summer's day_  
_For you my love on your birthday"_

Nina's eyes fluttered open. Seated on her bed was Maddie singing the traditional Amity birthday song. She leaned down when she was done and kissed Nina on the forehead. "I'm so sorry that I forgot about your birthday. I'm a terrible friend."

Nina laughed. "Don't be silly. You're a great friend."

"Well, I definitely owe you a girl's night."

"And a bottle of red wine," Nina winked.

"Yes, that too. Well, the best I could do for now is bring you breakfast in bed," Maddie handed over a breakfast sandwich and a glass of juice from the dining hall. "It's hardly a meal fit for a queen such as yourself, but it'll have to do."

"Thanks, Mads. You're the best." As Nina sat up in bed, an apple rolled out onto the floor from beneath her pillow. She gasped, "Oh my gosh, I haven't had a fresh apple since we left Amity. How did you manage to get one?"

"I didn't," stated Maddie as she picked up the apple and turned it in her hand. "Someone else must have left this for you."

Nina contemplated the mysterious apple as she ate breakfast and got ready for training. Perhaps it had been a treat from Tae, a gift to express her gratitude for helping her improve her shooting skills last night. Although where Tae could have gotten hold of a fresh apple, Nina didn't know. Amity alone had the luxury of fresh fruit; other factions could only expect to receive fruit juices, canned fruits, and apple sauces. The only other possibility was that the apple was a birthday gift from... _him_. People in positions of power could more easily obtain luxury goods from other factions.

She refused to think about it, and what that would mean. Eric was adamant about transfers severing all ties with their past factions. A gift directly from an Amity orchard would go against everything he believed in. Nina brought the apple up to her nose and inhaled. The sweet, tart smell made her nostalgic for the home she'd once had. She stroked the small scar on her neck and remembered the day she'd gotten it, after falling from an apple tree. She decided to save the apple for another day.

* * *

"6 minutes 21 seconds," called Four as Nina sprinted past him. Her time to run a mile had improved greatly since coming to Dauntless. She'd always been fast but she'd never beat Maddie, who always finished first. "How'd you do," she called out breathlessly as she caught up with her friend and few of the other initiates.

Maddie was rubbing her chest. "Good. 5 minutes 56 seconds."

Nina whistled. "Damn, that's really good. Hey, you ok?"

Maddie gave her a small smile. "Yeah. Just catching my breath."

Nina nodded and did the same as she stretched.

"You beat me again, babe!" Amir threw his arms around Maddie in a bear hug.

"Ew, get your sweaty arms off me," Maddie laughed as she shrugged away from Amir's embrace. "I'm so glad we're done with gun training week."

"Agreed," stated Nina. "I'm definitely ready for a day off." Today had been the initiates' last day of shooting. They had a one day break before resuming training and selecting a secondary weapon to specialize in. Q tugged lightly on her arm and pointed his head towards the bulletin board in the middle of the training room. Four was finishing writing the final rankings of the week. She jogged excitedly over to the board and tripped over something in her path. She stumbled and felt her ankle twist painfully.

"I would say sorry, but I'm not," stated Clark with a malicious grin. He had purposely put his foot out to trip Nina.

Nina looked up at the bulletin board and saw that Clark was ranked beneath her. "I would say sorry, but I'm not," she smirked. He huffed and marched out of the room as she skimmed over the list of rankings.

1\. Amir  
2\. Q  
3\. Alessandra  
4\. Nina  
5\. Maddie  
6\. Gregory  
7\. Clark  
8\. Miles  
9\. Sebastian  
10\. Tae  
11\. Lana  
12\. Jackson  
13\. Pamela

Tae approached Nina. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Nina sat on the ground and massaged her ankle. "Good job, by the way" she said as she high-fived Tae. Their late night training had significantly improved Tae's shooting. Everyone had been totally shocked, except for the two girls of course. Tae was finally in the safe zone, but she'd need to keep up the work next week to secure her position in Dauntless.

"I think we all deserve celebratory tattoos," Nina grinned to her friends and nudged Tae. "You too."

"You just want a victim to practice inking on," scolded Maddie playfully.

Nina stuck her tongue out. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

Tae held Nina back as the rest of the initiates rushed to the dormitory to shower. "Do you really think I deserve a tattoo? I've been waiting for the right moment... I just want to make sure I really belong here, you know?"

Nina looked at her seriously. "Tae, being Dauntless is about more than just training. Last night you showed true courage by admitting your mistakes and working hard. I definitely think you've earned your tattoo. Have you decided on what you want?"

Tae smiled shyly. "Yeah... I was thinking of getting a tattoo of a gun and target. After all, having a gun facing my head really changed me."

"I can tell. I think that's an awesome idea. I'll sketch it out for you before dinner. Meet you at the tattoo parlour tonight?"

Tae nodded and sprinted to the dormitory, her straight black ponytail whipping behind her.

Eric appeared beside Nina. "You know, you're supposed to be eliminating your competitors, not helping them."

Nina didn't deny being the reason for Tae's improvement. "I don't really see how it's any of your business, but I did receive something in return." She put out her hand and he lifted her up from the floor.

"Can you walk?"

"Yes, with help," she admitted, careful not to put too much weight on her bad ankle.

Eric wrapped his arm around Nina and started to lead her to the clinic. "What did you get in return for helping that absolute dimwit?"

"She's actually not a dimwit. She's a transfer from _your_ old faction, in fact. And I got some private information."

Eric lifted his eyebrow. "Information?"

"Information that concerns me and me alone." She gave him a knowing look.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Nina was acutely aware the entire time of his body pressed against hers, his arm helping carry some of her weight. His skin was cool, yet her skin burned where their arms touched. She was so preoccupied with trying to breath normally that she barely felt the pain in her foot. She was sure that not knowing what information she'd received was killing Eric; knowledge was power, and power was what he craved.

Eric left her at the clinic without a word. The clinic walls were lined with advanced instruments, vials, and equipment that Nina didn't recognize. She hopped up onto a counter as a healer inspected her ankle.

The healer had grey strands threading through his brown hair and a receding hairline. Nina realized with shock that this was easily one of the oldest Dauntless members she'd met, yet he didn't even look all that old. She wished she had Amir's frankness, a residual trait from his old faction; if she did, she would ask the healer what happened to Dauntless members when they became old.

He advised her to keep her foot elevated with an ice pack for a few hours, which she figured would be easy enough if she was just hanging out at the tattoo parlour this evening. He also made her take a pill to prevent pain and swelling in her ankle. As she limped out, Clark entered clutching a bloody, bruised hand. As the door closed behind her, she heard the healer reprimanding him for punching another wall, and she had to stifle a laugh.

* * *

A bull horn blared, rousing Nina from her sleep. She shot up like a bullet, her nightmare coming to life. Her heart raced. '_They're here to take us to Abnegation!_' She glanced around in panic, regretting not having an escape plan.

Maddie shook her shoulder lightly. "Nina, what are you doing? We have to go. It's a midnight training exercise."

Nina's pulse slowed as she realized that this was real life, not a nightmare. There was no war. Not here, not now. She jumped out of bed and listened to Four's commands as she slipped on the first shirt within reach. She marched up the stairs following the other initiates. Maddie tugged on her elbow and handed over her sneakers and a hair tie. "Girl, you're a hot mess."

Nine chuckled and kissed her friend on the cheek. "Thanks, Mads. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't know what I'd do without you."

The transfers gathered on the roof before Eric and Four. Four was explaining the rules of a Dauntless tradition in which they were about to partake: a capture-the-flag game at the old pier.

Eric signaled for Nina to step forward as he opened one of the large boxes at his feet. Inside were several sleek guns that she instantly recognized. She recoiled at the memory of the guns' painful shots. "Nina, please explain to these useless fucks what these guns are."

She rolled her eyes and picked up a gun. "It's a bullet simulator. It makes an owie. Owie lasts 60 seconds." She pointed the gun at Clark and blasted his shoulder.

"Ow, what the fuck, you stupid bitch?!" Clark clutched his arm and he and the group observed the small metallic 'bullet' that was lodged firmly in his skin. He pinched the end of the fake bullet and tugged to no avail.

"That won't work," Four said. "It'll drop off after a minute."

"That was a really eloquent explanation, thank you Nina," stated Eric dryly. "Alright, Four and I get to choose teams."

"And I get first choice because my team won last year," Four grinned coldy. "And the year before that."

Eric pretended not to be affected by Four's words but Nina noticed the way he clenched his jaw and closed his fists tightly. "Go right ahead."

"Amir," chose Four. The choice was an obvious one. Amir was ranked first and he was the the best male shooter.

"Q." Eric's choice didn't surprise Nina either. Q was an average shooter but he was deadly in physical combat and a fighting machine.

The choosing of initiates somewhat followed the list of rankings. Eric selected Nina as his third choice, which made her feel all sorts of giddy. She insisted to herself that this giddiness had everything to do with sleep deprivation and nothing to do with Eric himself. When the teams were complete, each group got on a train cart together. Nina appraised her team on the quickly moving train as Eric distributed the BS-60 Harts. Her team included Q, Maddie, Tae, Sebastian, and Lana. There were 13 initiates and Four got the better division because he had won the year prior. That meant her team would have to work extra hard to compensate for missing a player.

She stood at the open cart door and let the cool night breeze wash over her. The sudden scent of pine and mint made her look down: she was wearing Eric's black shirt. She had completely forgotten that she had it. She'd hung it up to dry on her bed frame nearly two weeks ago, when Clark had spilled water on Eric after a strife with her. The shirt hung loose on her slender frame and the fabric was soft from years of wears and washes. Nina found the familiar scent, _his_ scent, comforting. She shook her head to clear her mind of those thoughts.

The group jumped from the train when they reached the docks. This time, Nina landed lithely, her body anticipating the fall and instinctually rolling properly. Eric huddled the group. They had 5 minutes to create a plan of action before the game started.

"We should split up into offense and defense," suggested Sebastian. The team nodded, approving of that idea.

"Eric, where did Four's teams hide the flag the past two years?" Tae asked.

He contemplated. "Once at the ferris wheel and another time at the swinger ride. The year before that we were initiates, and his team hid the flag at the carousel... successfully."

Nina knew Eric well enough to know that he was desperate to finally beat Four after years of losing to him. She was equally competitive; she would rather amputate her own leg before allowing Clark to hold a victory over her head. She was also surprised to know that Eric was only a few years older, yet he was already up for promotion to a position of leadership... A promotion that depended on war. Would he really go through with it? Was he willing to risk the lives of innocent people for his own prosperity? She studied Eric's harsh jaw; the lines of his muscles; the intensity in his eyes. How well did she know him after all? He caught her studying him but she didn't look away. What she felt for him was very real, but she couldn't allow her emotions take hold of her decisions. She was fire. He was ice. And they could never be together.

"Alright, we can cross out those three places then. Four wouldn't hide the flag in a recent location, and he obviously has a thing for amusement park rides and games," Tae thought aloud. "That leaves a multitude of possibilities, but I think the mini golf course is the best option. It's a remote location and it's hard to get to, which makes it an ideal choice."

"That makes sense," Eric seemed to appraise Tae in a new light. The other initiates were equally surprised, realizing that perhaps Tae was a source of competition after all. Nina caught her eyes and gave her a small smile and nod of approval.

"What about our flag?" asked Maddie.

Q turned and pointed to a large theatre dome in the distance. The dome had a utility ladder that Q could use to bring the flag far above ground.

"That's a good spot. Ok, let's roll with the plan. Q, stay on defense with Nina, Tae, and Lana. I'll go on offense with Maddie and Sebastian." Eric began to lead the way forward as Q approached the location where he'd hide the flag, followed by Tae and Lana.

"Hah! Fuck no," Nina snorted as she caught up with the offensive side. She refused to be left behind. She had to be there to capture the flag.

"No. You stay back on defense. You hurt your foot, we can't rely on you to be fast." Eric's voice was harsh.

"Watch me be fast, asshole!" She ran forward, bypassing the other offense players and ignoring the minor twinge of pain from her ankle.

"Absolutely not." Eric grabbed her shoulder and brought her back.

Nina pulled away from his hand and marched onward. "Eric, tell me one more time to stay behind. I fucking dare you."

"Nina, you're staying behind. Now fuck off."

She turned and fired a shot into his foot in response.

His face contorted with pain and anger. He heaved the gun up and unleashed two rounds into her stomach. She doubled over in pain and brought her gun back up, preparing to shoot him again.

"Fucking stop!" shouted Maddie. "You're both wasting your bullets! Let's just go, please?"

Eric glared at Nina but accepted the fact that she was officially on offense. Sebastian stayed behind on defense to compensate.

The pavement leading to the mini golf course was lined with festive pillars and colorful stands. They approached silently, guns drawn and they rounded a corner. They stopped when they heard soft voices ahead and huddled behind an old game stand to discuss what their next move should be.

"Nina and I will create a diversion," said Eric. "Maddie, you're fast but we're better shooters. We'll keep those fuckers off your back; you just concentrate on getting the flag. Got it?"

Maddie nodded and ran quietly away to hide behind a trash can where she could assess the right moment to grab the flag. Nina and Eric moved forward stealthily and crouched behind an abandoned ticket booth. She peeked to see what the other team was up to. She saw a few initiates standing far apart, circling the area where the flag was hidden. She looked over at Maddie who grinned and shot her a thumbs up; she'd spotted the neon flag as well. Tae had been spot on with her deduction of the flag's location.

"You are so fucking difficult," groaned Eric.

Nina laughed. "Why, cause I don't do what you tell me to do? Get fucking used to it."

He wrapped his hand around Nina's ponytail and pulled her head back, almost painfully, exposing her long neck. "I'll try," he whispered into her ear. He leaned in and planted his cool lips briefly on her neck. She knew then that he had felt her kiss on his neck the night of the zip-line. She was suddenly too distracted to think of anything else. The skin of her neck where his lips had touched burned after he pulled away.

"Nice shirt, by the way. I recall you telling me you were going to wash and return it. Maybe you should, now." He grabbed the helm of the shirt and tugged upwards.

Nina slapped his hands away. "I'm a liar, didn't anyone ever tell you? Anyways, it looks better on me."

"It'd look even better off you," Eric smirked.

She blushed and turned away. "Can we please concentrate?" Her heart was racing. '_Yes, _concentrate_, Nina. What the fuck is wrong with you? This is exactly why boys are bad idea. They're a distraction._' She peeked again past the ticket booth and spotted an opportunity. She leaned back and whispered "try to keep up with me," and winked at Eric. Then she stood and ran towards the nearest opponent, Gregory. She fired into his shoulder and ducked behind a bin. Greg spun to see who had hit him, and at that moment Eric stood and shot his neck. Greg fell to his knees in pain and tried desperately to yank out the bullets.

Nina and Eric nodded at each other and advanced. Clark and Amir ran at them, and the enemies fired at one another. Nina unleashed two bullets into Clark's shoulder but her third bullet missed Amir. He retaliated by firing into her trigger hand. She winced and Eric took stance in front of her, calmly firing a steady stream of rounds into Clark and Amir. He was like cobra, lethal and cold.

Amir ran back to retrieve his team's flag. "Our position has been compromised!" He passed the flag to Four who took off like a panther in the opposite direction.

"Maddie, run!" yelled Nina. Maddie sprinted behind Four but was hindered temporarily by a bullet from Alessandra that hit her in the leg. Eric and Nina ran forward to separate the enemy defensive side from Maddie. They ducked behind a food stand and fired at Clark, Amir, and Alessandra. Nina took a moment to breath and recharge her weapon. "Where's Greg?"

"He ran away."

"Seriously? What a wimp. What about the others?"

Eric shrugged. "Offense, I guess."

Nina cursed under her breath. "Our defense better hold them the fuck off. I refuse to lose." With that, she stood and fired again at the opposing team players as she ran in the direction Maddie and Four had gone. Eric quickly caught up with her, shooting at Amir. They ducked again behind an old carnival ride. Nina rubbed at her ankle, which was quickly swelling.

"You should have stayed behind," Eric stated frostily.

She glared at Eric and told him to shut the fuck up. Then she looked around the corner of the ride. "I don't see anyone." She decided to make a break for it, and sprinted to where Maddie was. Two bullets hit Nina in the back and she stumbled forward. Eric stopped behind her and fired his remaining bullets at the enemy. "Fuck, I'm out. Run!" He grappled with Alessandra and easily knocked her down, then recharged his weapon.

Nina jogged onward, her foot throbbing with waves of pain. She heard shouting behind her, and a bullet hit her tender ankle. She cried out in pain but ran forward. She could see Four ahead, climbing a tree with the neon flag in his hand. Maddie was climbing just behind him, gaining distance. No one could beat Amity when it came to climbing trees. "Go girl!" yelled Nina in encouragement.

She stopped at the base of the tree and fired upwards at Four, narrowly missing Maddie. She hit him in the stomach, and he faltered. It was just enough time for Maddie to cover the remaining distance between her branch and Four's and she grabbed the neon flag from his hand.

"Yes, yes!" Maddie shouted with delight and leapt lithely down from the tree. Nina approached her and the two girls hugged and jumped up and down gleefully.

Suddenly, Maddie was clutching her chest, her face contorted with pain. The color from her face vanished, leaving her skin pale and sweaty. "My heart... It feels really weird."

At that moment, Clark came forward and fired at the two girls, hitting Nina in the arm and Maddie in the chest as he laughed maniacally. Maddie fell to her knees, and her scream of agony shattered the cool night air.

Nina grasped Maddie's arms. "What's wrong?!"

Amir ran forward. "Baby, what's going on?!" He tripped over a dent in the decaying sidewalk and dropped his gun. It slid forward and fired, hitting Maddie in the foot. She tipped backward, landing with a thump on the sidewalk. Her eyelids fluttered, and she fell into unconsciousness.

"Get the fuck away!" screamed Nina in panic. "Get the fuck away!" She unleashed all of her remaining rounds into Clark and Amir, and the two boys doubled over with pain.

She crouched and hugged Maddie to her chest. "Get up! Please, get up!" Maddie lost control of her bladder and Nina found herself kneeling in a puddle of her urine. She began to weep. "Please, Maddie, please."

Four clutched a walkie talkie in his hands, demanding emergency services from the Dauntless headquarters. Then he ran forward and Nina tried to fire at him, forgetting that her gun was empty, and screamed at him to back off.

"Nina, stop!" Four yelled. Nina fumbled to take Maddie's gun from her clammy hands. She shot the last round from the gun at him, but he ignored the sudden pain in his arm and scooped up Maddie. He began to run with her best friend in his arms towards the train tracks.

Nina trembled as she struggled to reload Maddie's weapon as Eric wrapped his arms around her and yelled at her. "Stop it, Nina, right now!" A crowd had formed around the tree, the expressions on the initiates' faces ranging from confusion to shock to fear.

She tried to run forward, towards Four. "Where the fuck are you taking her?!" She lifted the gun and attempted to fire at Four's back but Q wrenched the gun from her hand. Eric clasped her wrists in one of his hands behind her back. The tears in her eyes blinded her from seeing what was happening. She panicked and struggled, trying to escape the tight grasp she was locked in. "Leave me the fuck alone! Don't fucking touch me!" Then she felt a needle prick her neck, and a haze of radiant colors washed over her. She slumped over and lose control of reality.

* * *

**This chapter was also written mainly from my phone, in hotel rooms, trains, and airports. I'm officially back in my home country and I finally have access to my laptop!**

**As always, I appreciate your feedback! Did you love it? Hate it? What do you anticipate will happen next?**


	11. Scorch

**IMPORTANT A/N: Please make sure you have read Chapter 10 before continuing with this chapter. When I posted the previous chapter last week, Fanfiction servers were experiencing difficulties; many authors' updates disappeared, including mine.**

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for _moderate _violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Scorch**

Nina drifted in and out of consciousnesses and lost all grasp on time. Her limbs felt heavy and weak. Voices came and went, echoing loudly in her head. Sometimes she wasn't sure if she was hearing voices at all, or if they were just figments of her imagination. Some voices she recognized: the healer, Sonya, Max. Others tugged at her memory but she could make no connections.

"... peace serum..."

"... not working..."

"... she's hallucinating..."

"...undiagnosed..."

"... heart valve malfunction..."

Waves of red and orange colors swirled before her eyes. A shriek pierced the silent clinic. The agonizing scream seemed to crack Nina's head open. She cried out and covered her ears. She launched herself up from the bed and spun around wildly. Her friend was in the bed beside her, pale and motionless. There was no scream. It was all in her head.

"Maddie, Maddie..." she chanted.

A healer lead her back to bed. She laid down compliantly. Ice moved in her veins, freezing her vital organs. The bed was a glacier. Snowflakes fell onto her skin, and white lights flashed. She shivered uncontrollably. A thick blanket was laid over her, melting the ice in her veins. Beautiful, familiar icy eyes comforted her. "It's ok, Nina. Go back to sleep."

Time passed, or didn't. Vibrant patterns pulsed in the air. She heard sobbing. A voice, pleading. She turned her head and saw a young man caressing Maddie's cheek.

"Who are you?" she slurred.

The boy turned to her. His eyes were dark and vacant. "It's me, Amir."

His face blurred. Fading memories took place. Amir hugging Maddie. Amir on a train cart, wearing the white clothing of Candor. Amir dropping a gun, its bullet accidentally lodging into Maddie's skin.

"Don't hurt her again," she begged.

His reply didn't reach Nina's ears, and time passed. She felt each of her limbs slowly turn to stone. Paralyzed eternally. The clinic was stagnant and static. Her heart beat drummed loudly in her head. She focused on trying to move her fingers. Small tingles pricked at her fingertips.

A scaled head floated before her eyes. Cold eyes that she recognized. A malicious grin spread from ear to ear. His reptilian tongue danced. "It would be so easy to end you now. Your friend is already out of the picture thanks to her fucked heart. Two competitors, out of the way."

The pillow was cold and stiff. It pressed against her mouth and nose, smothering her. She struggled to move her useless limbs. She was pinned to the cot by invisible shackles. Her heart beat erratically, and her lungs were stone in her chest.

Stars danced before her eyes. The void called to her. She gave in.

* * *

Nina peeled open her eyes and blinked at the sudden bright light. Her throat was parched and her head felt heavy.

"Good morning, kitty cat." Sonya was sitting at Nina's side in a stiff chair. Her tone of voice was light, but her dark eyes expressed anxiety and sleep deprivation.

"What's going on? Is Maddie ok? What happened to me last night?" Nina's voice was dry, and she was grateful for the glass of water that Sonya handed to her. She looked around and saw that Maddie was still in the cot beside her, asleep. A female healer was tending to her, taking her vital signs and recording them in an electronic chart.

"One question at a time, kitty cat," Sonya chuckled darkly. "Maddie's doing ok. She was awake a little while ago, but the healer wants her to rest as much as possible. She's been given a sleep aid to help." She paused and shifted uncomfortably. "Nina... Your friend had an undiagnosed heart abnormality."

Nina drew in her breath sharply. "What does that mean?"

Sonya grasped her hand. "It means Maddie's heart has to work extra hard to pump blood. It's usually an asymptomatic disorder, which is why she was never diagnosed. But now that she's being pushed daily in training, her heart just can't keep up with her body. The physical exertion could be fatal if she's not more careful."

Nina wept openly, her chest shaking and heaving. Suddenly all those moments made sense. Moments in which Maddie complained of a chest ache. Of having difficulty breathing. Of feeling light headed. Nina had always brushed it off, thinking her friend was just tired from training. She was wrong, so wrong. Staggering guilt and fear flooded her.

Sonya wrapped her arms around her and comforted her. Her cries eventually subsided, and Sonya offered her some tissues. As she wiped away the tears, she made the decision that this would the last time she cried. Tears wouldn't help Maddie. Tears were weak and childish. Tears had no place in Dauntless.

She took a deep breath and crumpled up the tissue in her hand. "Thank you. Please don't tell anyone I cried."

"There's nothing wrong with crying, Nina."

Nina pleaded with her wordlessly. Finally Sonya nodded. "Ok. Fine. So, your other question. Last night... Well, Eric and Four told me you really freaked out when Maddie collapsed. Do you remember any of that?"

The painful memories came back quickly to Nina. Her rash decision, her cold words, her fear, her panic. Maddie's limp body. A sting in her neck. And then darkness. She nodded dully. "Yea, I remember..."

"Well, Eric gave you a peace serum. He didn't know what else to do. Do you know what a peace serum is?"

"Yes, of course. Amity uses them all the time. They're used to make someone calm and peaceful."

Sonya nodded. "Well. It totally didn't work on you. Like, at all. You were hallucinating all night. It was really terrible. We thought you had lost your mind. We didn't know what to do. "

Nina put her head in her hands. "Oh god. I remember. It was really frightening... Why didn't the peace serum work on me?"

Sonya shrugged. "The healers have no idea. They've never seen anything like it."

They sat in silence for some minutes as Nina processed the overwhelming information. Her mind was heavy with dreadful thoughts. All she wanted to do was sit in total darkness and scream until her voice was hoarse.

* * *

Nina sketched fervently in the far corner of the tattoo parlour. All day the parlour had been bustling with Dauntless members enjoying a day off. Smiling. Relaxing. Laughing. She wanted to shut them all the fuck up.

The only person she could stand to be with right now was Q, and she was glad to see him come in. He didn't offer empty condolences or meaningless small talk. He was quiet and thoughtful, which was just what Nina needed.

He calmly flipped through her sketch book. It was filled with ideas for tattoo designs and patterns. He paused at the drawing of a mouse and smiled softly. He tapped the page and pointed to his shoulder.

Nina nodded, understanding what he wanted, and began to prepare the tattoo gun. She wanted to know why Q wanted a mouse tattoo, of all things, but she understood that he was a reserved individual who only disclosed information when he wanted to. She rolled his shirt sleeve up and began the tattoo.

She finished after half an hour and felt much calmer. The act of tattooing was always very relaxing for her. Q thanked her wordlessly with a small smile and nod. Then he spoke to her quietly "I always called my little sister my mouse."

When he left, it was closing time and the parlour emptied for the evening. Sonya allowed her to stay with the promise of locking up behind her. She contemplated visiting Maddie again, but the thought of seeing her friend weak and pale in the clinic cot made her feel sick. She instead opened her sketch book and began putting the finishing touches on the drawing of a phoenix. There were two versions of the drawing: a flowery, feminine version and a darker, masculine version. She contemplated making a sketch for Maddie to cheer her up.

Someone knocked on the glass door of the tattoo parlour. Nina continued drawing as she yelled out "We're closed!"

The person pounded again. Nina rolled her eyes and put her pencil down. "Can't you see the fucking sign on the door?!" She looked up and saw that it was Eric. She sighed and got up to unlock the door.

She wordlessly let him in, but hoped he wouldn't stay long. She was in no mood to put up with him, not tonight. She had enough things on her mind, and Eric... well, he always managed to confuse her. She never knew what he wanted, and she definitely didn't know what she wanted either. She felt a pull to him, but she knew it was wrong. With all the things going on in her life, the last thing she needed was a distraction like him. A dark, alluring, and dangerous distraction.

She sat in her familiar seat and continued drawing. It was the finishing touches, really, but Nina never felt a tattoo sketch was truly complete until had been inked permanently to someone's skin. Until then, she would continue adding small details and erasing here and there. Eric sat quietly and watched her sketch, though she tilted the book away from him to hide the drawing. She felt strangely comfortable drawing in front of him, though it was something she usually preferred to do alone. She finally stopped moving her pencil, realizing that there was nothing else she could add to this drawing. It was as done as it ever would be. She snapped her sketch book shut.

Suddenly Eric was pulling his shirt off, revealing intricately inked skin and muscles that were hard from years of combat training. Nina forced herself to look only at his face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I want a tattoo," he explained succinctly.

"You can't just march in here and demand a tattoo. We're closed you know," she stated jokingly as she pushed on his chest lightly, causing him to lean back in the padded seat. "Close your eyes," she demanded.

"Why?" He asked suspiciously. Eric was a cautious individual. Closed eyes made him susceptible to perceived dangers, and he preferred to always be on high alert. Nina was accustomed to the way his eyes scanned every room for details and exits upon entering, and the way he never had his back to a door.

"Just trust me, please?" She pleaded with him, biting her lip; a nervous habit.

His mouth turned down but he complied, settling back into the chair stiffly with his eyes closed.

Nina began to assemble the tattoo gun and filled some ink wells with different colors: shades of black, red, and yellow. She cleaned the blank spot on Eric's chest with a wet wipe then dried the area with a small towel. She opened her sketch book to the drawing of the phoenix for reference. Then she brought the needle to his skin and began to draw.

The art of tattooing was a therapeutic one for Nina. She gave in to the relaxation of the act and let her thoughts escape her mind. The lines she traced slowly filled Eric's chest, leaving her permanent mark on his skin. She let the whims of her creative impulse control her hand. The creature on his chest slowly came to life. Flames ignited on his skin, dancing with hues of red and orange. Nina periodically wiped away blood and running ink. This was her first truly intricate tattoo, larger and more complex than any of the others she had done, yet she felt totally at ease. Drawing and tattooing came natural to her, and being with Eric also felt natural. In the hours she spent there, in the dark room, Nina lost track of time. She was completely absorbed by the lines she drew on his skin, and his even breaths calmed her. She felt her own lungs expand and compress in time with his. This was home to her.

Eric reached over and traced the tattoo on her arm, his icy eyes skimming her skin. The lyrics that encircled her upper arm were only partially complete. His touch made goosebumps rise on her skin. "Is this the song you were humming on the roof last week? You promised you would sing it me."

"I thought I told you to keep your eyes closed," Nina demanded.

Eric rolled his eyes but complied.

"Anyways," she continued, "I never _promised_ I would sing to you, I said I _might_." She contemplated as she shaded in the final section of the tattoo. "Maddie's a better singer, you know."

"I don't want to hear Maddie sing," he said gruffly. "I want to hear you."

She felt her heart skip a beat. She began to hum the song gently, letting the familiar melody soothe her. "Well, if I'm going to sing, you have to keep your eyes closed. If you look at me, it'll make me nervous."

He smirked but kept his eyes closed. "I make you nervous?"

She ignored him and continued to hum. She never sang in front of anyone, ever. In truth, she didn't have a bad voice and she definitely could keep a tune. But singing just felt so intimate to her. It didn't come easy to her like it did for her mother and Maddie. Yet here she was, about to sing in front of someone else for the first time ever. Her heart should be racing. Her skin should feel clammy. Yet it felt natural. It felt natural to share this song from Amity with a man who detested any mention of allegiance to other factions. Did he really, then? What did this mean for her, and what did it mean of him? Nina forced herself to push the convoluting thoughts out of her head and focus on what felt right. And what felt right, at the moment, was singing for Eric.

She let the words fly out of her mouth like a song bird. Her soft voice filled the quiet room. The phoenix on Eric's skin was animated, the flames surrounding it seemingly dancing. She continued to work as she sang. She put the finishing touches, wiped away spots of blood and ink, and disassembled the tattoo gun. All the while, the lyrics flowed naturally. Years of hearing the words in Amity, years of dreams of a phoenix, years of humming the tune to the beautiful lullaby, culminated in this moment, a moment in which she could finally share the song with someone who was important to her. She didn't understand why, but maybe she didn't have to understand.

The song finally ended and Eric opened his eyes. His steely eyes assessed her with a gentleness she hadn't ever witnessed. He looked away from her for a moment to admire his new tattoo. Nina felt self-conscious. Did he loathe it? Was it what he wanted? He slowly traced the wings of the phoenix on his skin, and she wondered what was running through his mind. She would always wonder about him.

Nina stopped thinking when Eric stood up and pulled her head towards his. Their lips crashed together, and she felt wildfire spread from her mouth down through her chest and legs. He wound his hand through her loose hair, pulling lightly. His lips were soft, the only soft thing about him. She nibbled gently on his bottom lip, and Eric moaned lightly. His lips left hers and kissed along her jaw down to her neck. He gently kissed and sucked a spot on her neck, and she felt her limbs shiver with delight.

"Oh, Eric," she moaned out. She placed her hand on his hard jaw and tilted his head up. Their lips collided again, passionately. She ran her hand over his bare chest, forgetting the tender new tattoo. Eric wrapped an arm around her lower back and pulled her closer to him. His other hand slipped under her shirt and gripped her waist. Her lips were tingling against his. His skin and lips were cool yet she felt like she was burning up with desire. His body molded perfectly to hers.

Suddenly, Eric's communication device was ringing. Three quick, high pitched noises indicated an incoming message. He pulled away and reached for the device.

"Eric, don't you dare answer that," Nina demanded.

He glared. "I have to. It's Max."

"_Fuck_ Max. Are you fucking serious?"

He turned away and brought the device to his ears. After listening to the short message he turned back to Nina and began to slip his shirt back on. "I have to go."

"This is so fucking typical. He really has you on a fucking leash, doesn't he? Hanging that damn promotion over your head," she snapped.

His eyes narrowed. "How do you know about the promotion?"

Nina panicked. '_Because I overheard a secret conversation with dangerous information that I definitely shouldn't know.'_ Instead, she thought quickly and answered. "It's pretty obvious."

"This is my job. I'm a leader of Dauntless," he reminded her sternly with his arms crossed. His lips were slightly swollen from kissing her. Nina struggled between wanting to hit him and wanting to pull him close again.

She was seething. "Whatever, Eric. Just fucking go. This didn't mean anything anyways."

He scowled back. "Fine."

"Fine!"

And then he walked out, leaving Nina alone with her emotions.

* * *

**Did you love it? Did you hate it? Please leave me a review to let me know what you think!**


	12. Cold Front

**I am _so_ sorry for updating so many months late! I really have gotten caught up with my last year at university and applying to graduate programs. I plan on updating with much more regularity this semester. Please forgive me, and enjoy this chapter. (PS it might be a good idea to read or skim the previous chapters, since it's been so long!)**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Cold Front**

Nina stared at the place where Eric had stood just moments before. She briefly wondered if she had imagined the kiss, but her sore lips and rapid heart beat told her otherwise. She clenched her fists in anger and heat rose to her face. She felt utterly _humiliated_. Eric had made it quite clear what his priorities were: rules, structure, promotion. Nina's name was last on his list of priorities, if she even was on it at all. Her fingers trembled as she struggled to lock the tattoo parlour door behind her.

She knew she needed rest for the coming day of training, but sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. Half of her wanted to march to Eric's room and tear him apart with her bare hands; the other half never wanted to see him again. And a small, very insignificant part of her wanted to see him to finish what they'd started.

_'This is what you deserve for being foolishly love-struck,' _she thought darkly_. 'This is what you get for being naive enough to think that Eric had any feelings for you whatsoever. He's incapable of feeling anything for _anyone_ other than himself.'_

She stocked the halls stealthily, keeping her feet quiet and light subconsciously even as her thoughts were elsewhere. She arrived at the clinic and peeked in, hoping to see her friend awake and in good health.

Her hopes were answered, for Maddie was sitting up in bed, her sharp ears having alerted her to the sound of the door handle being turned. Her countenance was warmer and brighter than it had been in the days prior, and Nina was glad to see that her health was returning.

Maddie made to rise to greet her friend, but Nina waved her hand, signaling her to remain seated. She approached the bed and curled up on its edge. "Oh, Maddie, it's so good to see you well. How are you feeling?"

Maddie smiled. "I'm okay. You worry about me too much."

Nina pried on. "What did the healers say?"

"They said my heart is in good shape as long as I'm careful in the future with physical activities."

"I was so worried." Nina breathed a sigh of relief.

Maddie shrugged and grinned. "I'm fine, really. I'll be back in the training room tomorrow morning, birght and early. I want to hear everything I've missed."

Nina rolled her eyes and sighed. "Nothing important." She picked at a thread at the edge of the blanket.

Maddie laughed and brushed Nina's ponytail away from her neck. "Uh-huh, so this hickey here is 'nothing important'?"

Nina made a face and told Maddie about everything she'd missed. When she got to the part about the kiss, she made the story brief. "It was dumb, really; it didn't mean anything."

"I find that hard to believe," Maddie replied with a raised eyebrow.

Nina huffed. "Well, believe it, cause it's true." She crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Don't shut yourself away from him, Nina," Maddie said gently.

"I don't want to talk about this," she said grimly.

Maddie pressed on. "I know how you feel about him, and I just think he..."

"I _really_ don't want to talk about this!"

"He obviously feels the same-"

Nina cut her off, "Well I don't feel anything for him, so I'm glad we're on the same page." Then she left the clinic, exhaustion having creeped up on her.

* * *

Nina jolted awake to the sound of a door slamming. She jumped out of bed, her eyes skimming over the empty bunk-beds. '_Not this again, I'm always late_,' she thought as she quickly changed and brushed her hair into a ponytail. She didn't bother to slip on her sneakers, and she rushed to the training facility.

"You're late. I'm docking points," said Eric coldly as Nina stepped into the room.

She pointedly looked away, refusing to acknowledge him. Instead she glanced around the traing room, looking for her friends amongst the group of initiates. She spotted Amir and made her way to him. "Where's Maddie?"

Amir whispered, "I thought she was with you?"

Four was at the center of the room, unloading a set of knives and laying them out in front of him. "This morning I'll be training you in basic knife attacks. In the afternoon we'll being demonstrating some of our other weaponry, and tomorrow you'll be allowed to select a weapon for specialized training." He began to explain the differences between each knife and their uses.

Nina lowered her voice and answered Amir. "How could she be with me, she spent the night in the clinic."

Amir shrugged and cast his eyes around, worry gleaming in them. "Do you think she slept in?"

Nina bit her bottom lip and contemplated. She'd already lost points for tardiness, but she couldn't allow her friend to be late too. She slipped away from the group and turned towards the door. An icy hand grabbed her wrist, halting her.

"Let go of me, asshole," she spat at Eric.

He tightened his grip on her wrist, painfully. "You aren't allowed to leave while we're in the middle of training."

She seethed. "I need to go get Maddie. So fuck right off, now."

His eyes flashed darkly. "You won't find her. She's in a meeting. A _private_ meeting," he emphasized. He shoved Nina away from him towards the group. She huffed and turned back towards Four, rubbing her wrist where a bruise was beginning to appear.

* * *

Nina paced the halls in front of the empty clinic during her lunch hour, forgoing her meal. Maddie hadn't turned up to the training room all morning and Nina's stomach was tensely coiled; she couldn't keep food down if she tried. Finally Maddie appeared, her face pale and her countenance weary.

Nina rushed forward. "Where were you? What's wrong?!"

"I'm..." Maddie stammered, "I'm on probation."

"What do you mean?"

"They said I ... have to prove myself. My heart is weak, they want me to show I'm strong enough for Dauntless."

"Or else?"

Maddie didn't need to answer; Nina knew the consequence already.

Nina ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay. Well. You can do it, I'll help you. How do they want you to prove yourself?"

"I have to be ranked top five by the end of the week."

Nina laughed with relief. "Is that it? Maddie, you're _already_ ranked fourth, all you have to do is keep up your score in weapons training!"

Maddie shook her head grimly. "No, Marina. I've been booted to the bottom. I'm in last place."

* * *

Nina had barely been able to pay attention to the weapons demonstrations all afternoon. Her concern for Maddie consumed her, jarring her ability to stay focused. She bounced ideas around her head, trying to come up with a solution.

Dinner was solemn. Amir and Maddie tried to pretend nothing was wrong, but their efforts were futile. Nina finally bunched up her napkin and blurted out what had been on her mind all day. "I'll go with you."

Maddie lifted her eyebrow and continued to pick at her food. "Where?"

"If they kick you out, I'm going with you," she said with resolution. A life Factionless with her best friend would be better than being in Dauntless alone.

Maddie slammed down her silverware. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm dead serious."

Maddie's eyes watered. "I won't let you."

"You can't stop me," Nina stated firmly.

Maddie's eyes flooded with tears and she stood up so quickly that her chair teetered on its edge. "I won't let you throw away your future for me!" A hush came over the dining room briefly at the sound of her loud proclamation. Maddie stomped out, and Amir chased after her.

Nina stared at her unappetizing plate before shoving it away from her. She got up and marched over to the leaders section. She leaned down and placed her mouth near Eric's ear. "I need to speak with you."

His shoulders tensed. "I'm busy."

"_Now_."

His steely eyes met hers briefly. He pushed away from the table and followed her to the chasm, where the rushing water would block the sound of their voices.

Eric crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

"You know quite well what I want," she replied firmly.

He clenched his jaw. "I can't help you."

"Bullshit," she said incredulously. "You're a leader here and you're up for promotion. You have the power to revoke Maddie's punishment. Use it."

"You aren't above the rules, Nina, and neither is your friend."

Nina threw her hands up. "Fuck the fucking rules!" She turned her back to Eric and focused on the sound of the rushing water, trying to get her temper under control. "Why won't you help me? I thought we were friends."

He paused for a moment and her heart skipped a beat. "You thought wrong," he stated coldly.

Nina pressed her eyes closed, willing the hurt inside to go away. '_Fuck Cupid and fuck his stupid arrow too,_' she thought miserably.

Suddenly her eyes flashed open and she spun around. "That's it. Arrow."

Eric rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Maddie's a fantastic archer," Nina paced as she walked, solidifying the plan in her mind. "She'll be top five with a bow and arrow in her hands, no problem."

He scoffed. "Archery? Really? That's out-dated."

Her eyes flashed with determination. "It's not any more out-dated than the chain, so give me a break."

Eric began walking away. "Well, we don't have any bows. Tough luck."

Nina jumped in front of him, blocking his path. "And if I can get my hands on one?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Marina, don't do anything reckless."

"What do you care?" She cocked her right eyebrow defiantly. "We're not friends, remember?" She turned away and paused, "Oh, and don't call me that ever again."

* * *

Nina lay with her eyes shut for an hour, pretending to be asleep. When she was sure that all the initiates were sleeping, she slipped out from under her sheets and quietly approached Q's bed. She put her hand over his mouth and shook him awake. He jolted up and stared at her with incredulous eyes.

"I need to do something tonight, and I can't do it alone. Can you help me?"

Q contemplated for a moment then nodded.

"We could be in danger - if we get caught. Do you trust me?"

Q smiled in answer and slipped on his sneakers, then the pair stealthily made their way out of the dormitory and out of the Dauntless compound.

* * *

**Love it? Hate it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review! **

**Expect another update within 2 weeks. Cross my heart., hope to die!**


	13. Chill

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Chill**

Getting onto the train without getting caught was as simple as Nina could have hoped. The sole Dauntless guard standing watch over the exterior of the compound was easy enough to distract with a rock thrown in the distance; when the guard went to investigate the sound, Nina and Q used the opportunity to lithely leap onto a train compartment.

As they were whisked away into the darkness, they huddled together in one corner of the compartment to block the wind; a fierce cold front was moving through the area. Nina's eyes gradually adjusted to the heavy darkness, and for a few minutes, the rumbling of the train and the whistle of the wind were the only sounds.

"Thanks for coming with me, Q," said Nina.

Q gave his characteristic nod and listened carefully as Nina explained her plan.

They waited patiently for the train to reach Amity headquarters, which was the furthest from Dauntless. As they passed Abnegation, Q stood and looked at his old home until it faded into the distance. A lump formed in his throat, and Nina knew he was thinking of his family, of his sister, whom he lovingly called his "little mouse."

Nina stood and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You'll be reunited with her, one day…"

Q gave her a long, solemn look that indicated he didn't believe that was true.

She shrugged. "Things are changing…" She wasn't ready to reveal what little she'd learned about the coming political struggle, but she knew she could trust Q.

The sounds of music and laughter cued their approach to Amity. They stealthily rolled out of the compartment and waited a few moments to make sure they hadn't been seen.

Nina cautiously moved forward, with Q trailing her. The breeze carried the sound of her voice to him. "That's the atrium," she explained, nodding her head towards the large, open-air wooden structure. "And over there," she pointed to an area a short distance from the atrium "is the lodging, and behind are the orchards."

They moved carefully past the atrium, doing their best to stay in the shadows the whole time. Their footsteps were masked by the sounds of a banjo being plucked and jovial singing. Q moved as quietly as a snake, and Nina tried her best to mimic his light steps.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she spotted her old house, the place where she'd been born and raised. It was warm and inviting, its exterior lined with potted plants, flowers, and rows of vegetables. Fond memories came to mind: her mother humming as she tended the garden; her father reading to her at bedtime until her eyes drooped; her first kiss under the flowered tree in the front yard. She forced herself to look away and continued onwards to the house next door.

The narrow house was two-storied, and on the second floor, near the branches of a tall Maple, was a dark window. Nina knew it would be unlocked, and that the branches of the tree would hold her weight well; Maddie had climbed in and out of this window many times in the middle of the night for their secret midnight rendezvous. Nina and Q looped around the house, peeking through windows to see if anyone was home. The house was dark as expected; Maddie's family would be present at the nightly Amity gathering.

Q stayed by the base of the trunk to keep watch and promised to alert Nina with a whistle if someone approached. She nimbly climbed the branches of the tree, the bark warm and familiar against her palms. When she reached the window, she reached over to slide the glass open, the same way she'd done a million times before. This time, it wouldn't budge. "Dammit," she whispered down to Q. "It's locked!"

Without warning, Q tossed a knife up to her; it flew through the air and wedged itself firmly into the bark of a branch nearby. Nina used the knife to pry open the backside of the window latch then slid the window open with a single push. A screeching sound accompanied the movement, and Nina paused to make sure no one was around to investigate. After a moment, she tumbled into the room, landing lightly on the balls of her feet.

Instantly, Nina knew something was missing. The space above Maddie's bed, still unmade from weeks ago, was bare. Where there usually hung an intricate wooden bow, a gift from Maddie's carpenter grandfather for her 13th birthday, there were only nails.

'_It's gotta be in here,' _Nina thought to herself. She got down on her hands and knees and reached under the bed. In the shadows she saw a leather quiver filled with arrows, but there was no sign of the bow. She shimmied her way partially under the bed and grabbed the quiver. Dust that had accumulated under the mattress flew into Nina's face, coating it with a grey layer; she let out a tremendous sneeze.

Suddenly, the light in the room was switched on and a foot planted itself heavily on her lower back. "Not so fast, thief."

Nina immediately recognized the voice of Maddie's father. "It's me, Mr. Wolff, it's Nina!"

"Nina?" Benjamin Wolff's voice trembled with incredulousness.

"Could you please take your foot off me?" Nina coughed, expelling some of the dust that had found its way into her throat.

"Yes, of course, sorry," Benjamin complied.

Nina stood and brushed the dust off her pants and then the two stared at each other awkwardly.

Benjamin furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms sternly. He had entered 'Papa Pear Mode,' as Maddie would have called it. Whenever she came home to her father standing that way with that look on his face, she knew she'd been caught … sneaking out, failing a quiz, skipping school, whatever she'd done that time around to merit reprimand. His voice brought Nina back to the present. "Nina, are you even allowed to be here?"

Nina bit her bottom lip and hesitated. "No, I'm not. But… Maddie needs my help."

Benjamin's face broke the mask of disapproval as he was filled with concern for his daughter. "What's wrong? Is she okay?"

Nina shrugged. She was a terrible liar, and she knew she could never convince Benjamin, a former Candor transfer. "She will be okay, if she gets her bow immediately. Where is it?"

Benjamin flushed deeply. "We had to sell it."

Nina recoiled with hostility. "How could you? That was her most prized possession."

Benjamin began pacing the small bedroom, his stature tense. "We haven't been doing well financially… we needed the money, and bows of such high caliber are rare these days." His hair was lined with grey strands that hadn't been there the last time Nina had seen him, and frown lines aged his once handsome face.

She breathed in sharply. "What do you mean, you haven't been doing well? Everyone is supposed to get allocated provisions weekly!" Concern for her family and friends rolled in the pit of her stomach.

The sound of feet rushing up the stairs paused their conversation. The door slammed open, and Maddie's young twin brothers hopped in, their bright, red hair matching their bubbly personalities. They ran forward and embraced Nina, babbling at the same time with such excitement that she couldn't understand a word they said.

"Hi, boys. I've missed you," Nina gave a hesitant smile, pressed the boys against her stomach, and covered their small ears with her hands. She turned to Benjamin and awaited an answer.

He sighed and nodded his head solemnly. "The rations are getting smaller and smaller each week," his voice was grave. "There are rumors… Nina, I'm worried."

She bit her lip nervously. "So am I. Listen, I've got go. I can't stick around here any longer. The thing I came here for is gone." She pulled open Maddie's desk drawer and grabbed a pen and paper, writing out a quick note for her parents. "Will you give this to them, please? Tell them I love them." She bent down to kiss each boy on the forehead and walked quickly to the window to depart.

Benjamin gave an impish smile. "Of course. And Nina?"

Nina turned and looked back, her body half out the window already. "Yes?"

"There is one other bow… but you'll have to go to great lengths to retrieve it."

* * *

The exterior of the Candor compound appeared to be clear. Still, Nina and Q crouched behind some bushes for a while to double check. Their efforts were rewarded; at the 15 minute mark, a heavyset guard emerged from the side of the building. The guard circled the compound slowly, swinging a flashlight back and forth, and then turned the corner to continue his rounds.

As soon as the guard disappeared, Nina and Q rushed forward to the front of "Merciless Mart." The white building was enormous and impressive; it loomed above them like a modern castle. One side of it's gigantic doorway was decorated with a large scale made of glass. The opposing column was decorated with a bow made of fibreglass. The dim light from the night sky sparkled in the laminated surface, beckoning Nina.

Q put up his finger, signaling her to stay put for a moment. He lifted the hem of his shirt to partially cover his face and walked beneath the arch of the grand doorway. He reached up and smashed a security camera with the butt of his knife. Then he returned to Nina and cupped his hands together, motioned for her to climb into them. She quickly did, and he lifted her into the air effortlessly, placing her feet onto his massive shoulders. He walked close to the column, until Nina could reach the bow, which she took down with care.

"Got it!"

Q placed her to her feet, and they paused to inspect the bow. The side had an inscription in it, but before they had the chance to read it, the light from a flashlight bounced towards them.

"Who goes there?!" roared a male voice.

Q and Nina looked at one another in panic, and began to run simultaneously back to the train.

"Hey, you there, stop right now!"

The initiates' athleticism enabled them to sprint to the train and escape the reach of the Candor guard. There was a brief moment of panic as they watched the next train approach at a short distance, and they had to listen to the guard's heavy breathing come closer and closer. They pulled themselves up to the first available compartment, and Nina fell onto the floor laughing with exhaustion.

Despite the chill, Nina and Q were sweating, a result of adrenaline and their quarter-mile sprint. They sat on the edge of the compartment, legs swinging, letting the breeze cool them off. They inspected the bow, turning it to-and-fro to check for marks.

Q traced the inscription lightly with his thumb. The words were flowery and delicate. Nina leaned her head on Q's shoulder and read the inscription aloud: "_May truth fly as swift as an arrow."_

Nina smiled and squeezed Q's hand. "Thanks for helping." After a brief pause, she asked what she'd been meaning to for a while. "Hey, Q? What's your real name, anyways?"

He looked at her and grinned. "Quentin. It's Quentin."

* * *

When they got back to the Dauntless compound the night sky was dark blue with hints of twilight on the horizon. They entered silently through a side door they'd left propped open, and Q returned to the dormitory to get a few hours of rest. Nina hastened to the training room and left the bow in the corner where all the specialty weapons were stored.

Nina groggily made her way back to the dormitory. The sounds of a commotion alerted her to stand still in the shadows. A door slammed and re-opened, then someone sprinted past her, a stack of papers in his hands. She recognized the figure as Max, and thanked her lucky stars that he had remained oblivious to her presence. She peeked her head around the corner and saw that his main office door, which customarily remained locked and guarded, was wide open.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she licked her lips nervously. '_Now or never,' _she thought, and without hesitating a moment longer, she rushed into the office. Her heart raced wildly, drumming loudly in her head as she glanced around with panicked uncertainty. The office desk was lined with stacks of papers, and a filing cabinet domineered an entire wall of the room. The other wall had a door with a small window looking into an ample hallway with a vault at its end. The remaining wall was a large, touchscreen monitor with icons she didn't recognize.

Nina approached the door leading to the vault and peeked through the window. The hallway was lined with video monitors and electronic equipment, but the door to enter was locked with a facial recognition technology pad. She turned away and approached the cabinet; she ripped open the first cabinet, and in it were folders with names and years. '_It's initiate names, and the year they arrived...' _Nina realized. She closed that cabinet and opened one below it; her year. She recognized the names of the initiates in her class; the names she didn't recognize she assumed were the Dauntless-born initiates, who were trained separately. The files were mostly empty, but some had a single sheet. She thumbed through to the folder with her name. The paper inside had one word, handwritten with neat print: _Maybe. _She thumbed to Maddie's: There was nothing in it, and Amir's was the same. Quentin: _Maybe. _Tae: _Maybe. _The other files were all empty.

Nina groaned with exasperation and closed the cabinet. A bright splash of color on the desk caught her eye; a red laminated folder. It was filled with too many papers to flip through at once, so she decided to grab one sheet from the center and take it with her. '_What are the chances Max will notice one paper missing...' _Nina attempted to reassure herself. '_Alright, I've been here long enough._'

She took one last look around to make sure nothing seemed out of place then rushed out of the office, leaving the door open the way she'd found it. The lights were dimmed in Dauntless during night hours, so she walked towards the chasm, the area containing the most natural lighting. She leaned against the main rail there as she studied the paper before her. "Confirmation of delivery… Approved by Jeanine Matthews..." she muttered, attempting to make out the small print. She brought the sheet closer to her face and squinted. "Tamper proof vials… Subcutaneous injection..."

A voice broke her thoughts. "Curfew was hours ago. What are you doing up?"

Nina jumped and dropped the sheet of paper. It flew over the rail and onto the soaked rocks at the bottom of the ravine, where it was pulled into the dark, swiftly running water.

She looked with wide eyes at Eric, who was standing before her with his arms sternly crossed.

He reached out and turned her cheek towards the moonlight that glittered on the water. Nina's heart began to beat erratically in her chest… until Eric opened his mouth. "And why are you so filthy?"

Nina pulled back from him and brought up the hem of her shirt to wipe the dust off her face. "Fuck curfew," she said, choosing to ignore his latter question. "I'm 17, I don't need a bedtime."

"Are you sure? You're throwing a tantrum like a toddler," Eric smirked. "Maybe you need a nap."

"You weren't so quick to question my age when you were running your lips down my neck," she snapped. Heat rose to her face as she recalled the vivid sensation.

Eric frowned and pulled away. "That was a mistake. I'm your superior."

"Oh, that's all it was to you? A _mistake?_" Nina's voice trembled with anger.

Eric's fists clutched the rail tightly, his muscles straining with tension. He looked away for a moment, and then back to her. "Nina-" he began, his steely gaze captivating hers.

"No, it's cool," she said coldly, not allowing her voice to betray her emotions. "I'm glad we're on the same page." Then she returned to the dormitory, willing herself to believe that she didn't feel anything for him at all.

* * *

**Voila! As always, I appreciate your constructive criticism; if there's something you loved, or hated, or something you want to see, please don't hesitate to let me know in a review or via PM :) **


	14. Frostbite

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

**Ciao, Gabrielle.**

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**Chapter 14: Frostbite**

In the morning, Nina was giddy. Through breakfast, she tried to keep a straight face as to not arise suspicions from her best friend. She couldn't wait to see the look on Maddie's face when she saw the bow. She was absolutely _lethal_ with one in her hands, and the initiates would be blown away by her talents. As a child, Maddie used to sling notes into Nina's open window using her bow and arrow, and she delighted in spearing a juicy apple. As the years had progressed, so had Maddie's skills; her arrow always flew with perfect precision.

Excitement bubbled in Nina's stomach. "Fuck yes," she whispered into her bowl of cereal.

"Talking to yourself again?" Amir joked, nudging her in the side.

"Don't mind me," Nina answered with a coy smile. "Come on, guys, let's go to the training room now!"

"Since when are you so eager in the morning," Maddie squinted suspiciously. "There's something you're not telling me…"

Nina grinned and stood up. "Nonsense!" She cleared her tray and looked back to her friends. "You coming, or what?"

Her enthusiasm was contagious; all the way to the training room, Maddie and Amir shared animated whispers, attempting to unravel the secret that awaited. Quentin and Nina often caught each others' eyes and had to look away, lest their huge smiles revealed their secret.

She led the way into the training room, which was beginning to fill with initiates. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed, waving towards the weapons with a flourish of her hand.

Maddie looked over and then lifted her eyebrow, "What are you pointing at? The knives?"

Nina grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the weapons storage, where she had left the bow and quiver just hours ago. She explained in a sing-song voice, "There's something special for -" Suddenly she was caught off guard. The quiver was there but the bow was gone. '_Did someone move it?' _she thought to herself, wondering if there was a separate storage facility elsewhere.

"Marina Jorgenson," a voice called out her name. She turned back and saw a Dauntless warden waiting. "Come with me, immediately."

Nina shared a look of despair with her friends, who appeared equally as confused as she was, and then followed the warden out of the room. The woman had blond hair pulled tightly into a bun, and her black clothing hugged her bulky, muscular figure. Tinges of fear pricked at Nina's skin. '_What have I gotten myself into?'_

"Where am I being taken?" she asked. The warden made no reply.

She led Nina down a dimly lit passage into a secured zone of the caverns, and Nina recognized the branch that led to Max's office - which she had broken into last night. '_Well, _technically _I didn't break in...' _she attempted to reassure herself. A guard was pacing the corridor in front of Max's office, and the back of her neck broke out in sweat. What would happen to her? What happened to people to broke into a leader's office and confiscated private documentation? '_I'll get tossed out, that's what,' _Nina panicked. '_If they don't kill me first, that is.'_

The warden deposited Nina at a metallic door and instructed her to wait, then left. Nina paced the corridor with anticipation, looking for a way out or a weapon - anything she could use to her advantage. She spotted a decorative glass vase in the corner. She rushed to it and smashed it against the cavern wall, and the sound of glass shattering rang in her ears. '_I won't go down without a fight_.'

The office door opened, and Eric stepped out. He stared at her incredulously. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Nina spun around, grasping a shard of glass in her hands, and attempted to look at Eric menacingly. "Don't come near me!"

It didn't work. He rolled his eyes, stomped over to her, and grabbed the shard out of her fist. Its sharp edge slid against her palm; Eric ignored the droplets of blood, seized her hand, and pulled her into the office.

The office was sleek and modern; all silver, black, and white. There was an inviting black leather couch and a glass table with an intimidating state-of-the-art computer. Contemporary paintings hung on the walls.

"Is this your office?" Nina asked breathlessly. She had to admit, Eric had a sophisticated sense of style. She wondering how he managed to keep his office so clean and organized despite his room being a mess.

"Yes," Eric answered coolly. "Now, are you going to restrain yourself from breaking my things, or do I need to tie you up?"

Nina blushed at the thought of being _tied up _by Eric, then forced herself to choke back that thought. "What am I doing here?"

He scoffed. "Don't act so innocent. A moment ago you were getting ready to stab me." He sat down behind his desk and motioned Nina to take a seat.

She refused, and instead crossed her arms stubbornly. "I didn't do it. I mean, whatever it is that you think that I did, I didn't." Her heart tightened in her chest. '_Smooth, real smooth.'_

He looked at her blankly. "So you didn't steal anything last night? You didn't take anything that doesn't belong to you?" Nina paled and recalled that Eric had seen her with the document last night, just moments after she had taken it. '_He knows._'

She stared back at him resolutely. "No." Internally, she was freaking out. '_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!' _Her heart raced maniacally. '_Why did I have to take that stupid piece of paper?!'_

Eric rolled his eyes again. "So, this thing," he reached under his desk to pull out something, "just wandered into the training room all on its own?"

A sigh of relief escaped Nina's lips and she felt suddenly giddy. "Oh, _that _thing, the bow," she stumbled over her own words, relieved that she hadn't been caught stealing classified paperwork. "No, I've never seen it in my life."

He stared at her skeptically and gingerly set down the bow on his desk. "You are the _worst _liar I have ever met."

She planted her fists on her hips and looked at him pointedly. "You can't prove it!"

He stood up, slamming his fists on the desk. "Nina, the Candor guard described a young white woman with a young black man, both wearing Dauntless clothing, fleeing from the scene of the crime with the bow in her hands." Exasperation flashed across his face. "We have video surveillance outside the Dauntless compound of _you_ entering today with the bow at 4:11 AM with Q. _Stop lying to me._"

Nina huffed and dropped the pretense. "God, Eric, _fine. _Yes, I took that stupid bow, and you know damn well why. Don't you care at all about loyalty?"

"This isn't about loyalty," he seethed, "this is about the _rules! _You can't just do whatever you want, whenever you want to. There are rules you have to follow, and order and structure-"

"The rules can kiss my ass!" Nina proclaimed. "This _is _about loyalty! Loyalty to my friends and to the people that I _love_. I'm trying to save my _best friend _because I don't want to live without her." Her voice shook with anger. "But you wouldn't know anything about friends because you don't have any!" Nina's voice was scathing, and for once Eric didn't have a retort.

She continued on vehemently. "Yes, I did steal that bow, and I would do it again a million times over! Y-Yet you… you… sit here _admonishing_ me, throwing your stupid _rules _in my face like they're the only things that matters in life, because you're incapable of feeling love! What you fail to realize, Eric, is that when _rules _and _order _and _structure _melt away, the only thing left that matters is _love. _Learn to do it." Rivulets of tears streamed silently down her cheeks and her lips quivered.

He stared down at the bow, his jaw shifting tensely. The muscles of his shoulder blades were tight, and the veins along his neck were pronounced. "Get. Out," he said quietly. Nina turned to comply and was stopped by Eric's hoarse voice. "And take the fucking bow."

* * *

Nina returned, fuming, to the training room upon her dismissal from Eric's office. Her fingers were white from so tightly clutching the fibreglass bow, and the enthusiastic anticipation of delivering it to her friend had long worn off.

When she entered the main training room, she saw that most initiates had moved to other rooms; each room served to train a specific specialized weapon. Maddie alone remained, and she rushed to Nina with glee and embraced her warmly. "Oh, Nina!" She stepped back and looked at the bow with awe. "I… I can't even begin to convey my gratitude. Everyone deserves a friend like you."

Hearing the word 'friend' made Nina want to heave, for it made her recall her harsh words to Eric. She pasted a fake smile on her face and gave the bow to Maddie, who took it gratefully. "You deserve it, Mads. And Q helped as well - I couldn't have done it without him."

Maddie glowed with happiness. "I'll have to thank him later, too."

Four approached the two girls sternly. "The other initiates have a head start - they've already made their selections and are training. Maddie, we don't have any archery specialists, so you'll just have to work on your own. You can use the gun range for target practice." He gave a small smile and continued. "You're our first archer in decades."

Maddie shot him a thumbs up and made a beeline for the gun range.

Four turned to address Nina. "You need to make a specialty weapon selection. Our options are daggers, bayonets, -"

"Chains," Nina replied quietly, cutting him off. A lump formed in her throat; she wished she could take back her promise to Eric.

Four nodded. "Ok. Eric is our chains specialist, so you'll need to wait for him to return. In the meantime, you can practice any other skill you've learned."

Nina dipped her head in acknowledgement and turned towards the punching bags. His voice made her pause. "Oh, and, for what it's worth - I think what you did last night was really brave."

"Thanks, Four," Nina smiled grimly.

* * *

Eric hadn't appeared in the training room all morning, and Nina was starting to get pretty pissed. "So what if he's mad?" She confided in Maddie as they exited the facility. "They're cutting three initiates at the end of the week, I can't afford to miss out on training!"

Maddie shot her a sympathetic look. "Think food might take your mind off things?"

Nina huffed. "No. I think if I eat anything, I'll vomit. I'm so nervous." She worried that Eric would be too angry to train her at all, and she'd lose points in her final ranking as a result. '_Maybe I should just choose another weapon if Eric's gonna be such an asshole...'_

She made her way alone to the dormitory, and was surprised to see Clark inside, sitting in his cot. He looked thinner than he was at the beginning of initiation. '_Come to think of it,' _Nina thought, '_I can't remember the last time I saw him in the dining hall._' She entered quietly, hoping not to disturb him. He was writing maniacally in a notebook, rocking back and forth as his pen moved across the page. Every so often, he would take the lid off a box by his feet, peek inside, and return the lid.

Nina ran into Tae as she was entering the washroom and they both stared at Clark. "What the actual fuck?" Nina asked her.

Tae shook her head, eyebrows raised. "I told you, he's a total weirdo."

Nina briefly wondered if he was abusing drugs or just putting on an act as she enjoyed the warm water. '_Or maybe he really is nuts_.' She pushed the thought out of her mind and stepped out of the shower. She contemplated returning to the training room, but heat rose to her cheeks at the thought of seeing Eric. '_If he's even there,' _she thought. '_He's obviously just gonna ditch me and fuck me over in rankings._'

She sighed and curled up under the covers after putting on a clean set of undergarments. Lack of sleep crept up on her, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. '_Just a short nap...' _She promised herself wearily. Soon her chest was rising and falling evenly.

* * *

When Nina awoke, she found herself in Eric's office, laying across his leather couch. The lights were dim, and her head felt heavy with slumber as she looked around. Eric was sitting on his desk, looking at her intently with a fire in his eyes.

She sat up, searching the room for an exit, and swung her legs free of the silky black blanket draped over her. She could have sworn the door was right there… "What am I doing here?"

Eric ignored the question and approached her, lust evident in his silver eyes. "You've been a bad girl… and you need to be punished."

Nina stood up in alarm, her heart beating quickly.

He leaned down and pulled her hips towards him, and then his lips were on hers, moving fiercely. Nina felt hunger for him swell in her chest, and she grasped his neck with both hands, urging him not to break away. She moved one hand up, curling it into his hair, and ran the other hand down his muscular chest. His tongue parted her lips, and Nina felt her knees grow weak. She took his bottom lip between her teeth, biting down softly. He moaned and moved his hands up her sides, cupping her breasts, causing her to breath erratically.

Nina pushed Eric onto the couch and straddled him, eliciting a groan from him as she leaned down and ran her lips against his neck. He flipped her over and suddenly Nina found her arms above her head, locked together at the wrist by a handcuff. He smirked and asked "Are you ready for your punishment?"

* * *

Nina sat up suddenly in her bunk bed, her heart pounding. She brought her pillow up to her face and screamed into it. "Get out of my head," she moaned. She was acutely aware of the heat in her panties, and her breathing was wild. She set down the pillow and closed her eyes, allowing her racing heart to subside. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she'd missed lunch. She gently ran her finger over her lip, recalling the sensation...

"What the fuck are you doing in bed?"

Nina's eyes snapped open to the sounds of Eric's voice and his boots stomping towards her. "You're supposed to be in the training room," he snapped.

"As if you were there at _all _this morning!" She retorted and got out of bed. She felt the intensity of his gaze on her nearly-nude form as she quickly threw on clean attire, and she wondered if he could tell what she'd been dreaming about.

She sat on her bed and as she reached for her shoes under the bed, the apple she'd received the other day rolled out. As she laced up her shoes and looked at the apple, her anger softened. Eric had gone out of his way to get her this apple straight from Amity despite his feelings about her relationship with her old faction. She brushed off the apple, wondering how it had gotten under the bed, and looked up at Eric. "I guess I never thanked you for this…"

His jaw shifted. "Don't mention it."

She inspected the apple as she followed Eric to the training facility; its surface was ruby red with bands of yellow near the stem. There was a small bruise and two unusual pinpricks in the skin of the apple, but overall it was in good shape. Nina worked her way around the core of the apple, savoring each juicy mouthful. The taste was crisp and sweet, and had a honey-like flavor she didn't recognize. She wondered if this apple was a new cultivar as Eric stopped at a training room she hadn't been in before. He unlocked it with a key from his pocket and flipped on the lights.

The interior of the room was small. The floor was lined with black padding and various unusual weapons hung from the wall. Nina shivered and thought to herself, '_It looks like a dungeon in here...' _Eric crossed the room to unlock the weapons cabinet, and Nina stepped onto the mat, bouncing slightly to gauge its thickness. She tossed the apple core into a small waste bin in the corner, and turned back to see Eric removing two cords of rope from the cabinet.

She lifted her eyebrow. "Those aren't chains."

"Of course not. We have to start with the basics," Eric dropped one of the cords onto the ground and unraveled the other, revealing a short rope about two or three feet in length.

"Where did you learn all this, anyways?"

"My father," he answered succinctly.

Nina pondered this answer. Eric was an Erudite transfer, which meant his father was… Dauntless? She found this very interesting, and she was eager to learn more about his family, a topic he never discussed. "So, your dad was a Dauntless transfer? Do you ever talk to him? Do you miss your family?" Nina bounced lightly up and down on the mat. She felt suddenly felt somewhat giddy and light-headed.

Eric stared at her expressionlessly and ignored her questions. He wrapped his hands around the outer edges of the rope, fixing the tips securely in his fists. "I'll begin by demonstrating some basic moves." The lights in the room suddenly appeared to be dimming and brightening. Eric positioned himself into a boxer's stance, the rope taut between his upraised fists. Nina found herself transfixed by the mesmerizing magenta shade of the rope, which she could have sworn was a normal, tan color just moments before.

Eric continued, "I want you to try to punch my face." His lips seemed to move in slow motion, and it took Nina a moment to comprehend what he'd said. Shen shook her head to clear the cobwebs and finally complied, launching a weak punch to his chin.

Instantly, Eric wrapped the rope around her wrist, pulling it back tightly. The sudden motion made Nina feel confused and irritable; her eyesight seemed to blur. Then, using his upper body weight, he nudged her down, trapping her on the ground beneath him.

Eric loomed over Nina, who remained curled up on the mat unable to move. She looked up at him, the weight of her head making the movement slow. She saw that he looked confused and that his lips were moving but Nina could hear only the pounding of her heart in her ears like a drum beat. She stared in awe at the ceiling and saw beautiful stars twinkling on its surface.

The floor beneath Nina seemed to rise and swell like the sea, and she was caught in its waves. Ripples of blue and green danced before her eyes, and she giggled, reaching up to touch the bubbling sea foam. "So pretty…" she whispered as she delighted in moving her hands across the water's silky surface.

She felt Eric pick her up and cradle her, and she leaned against his chest, allowing the warmth of his body to wash over her like a heavy blanket. Nina closed her eyes contentedly, giving in to the call of the void.

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**I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. If there's anything you loved or hated, please let me know in a review or PM!**


	15. Conflagration

**Alas, I have released a new chapter! As always, I apologize for the delay. I'm been insanely busy with my last semester at university. Please take a moment to catch up with the previous chapters and enjoy this new one! :)**

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**Chapter 15: Conflagration **

The ringing in Nina's ears gradually faded and the waves of blue and green that obscured her vision receded. She found herself tucked against Eric's chest, his arms looped beneath her. She peeked above his shoulder and watched as flashes of silver burst against the cavern walls. They passed by a door, and the knob appeared to melt, dripping hot metal onto the floor.

Nina moaned and pressed her eyes shut, willing the visions to go away. She tried to concentrate on what she knew was real: the drumming of Eric's footsteps echoing in the hall; the warmth of his body; his characteristic scent. She nuzzled her nose against the crook of his neck, breathing in the smell of pine needles. She felt his pulse quicken and she contemplated placing her lips on his jugular vein…

A low, menacing growl broke her concentration. Nina snapped her head up, searching for the source of the sound. Behind Eric, a large tiger stalked the hallway, its emerald orbs staring up at Nina. She flinched and instinctively kicked her leg out, aiming at the tiger's face. She missed narrowly and the cat snarled, baring sharp, white teeth. As it retreated, its black and orange stripes vanished into thin air and Nina realized she'd been hallucinating.

Eric tightened his hold on Nina and continued marching. "What the _fuck _are you moving around for? Stay still or I'll drop you to the floor." He pulled open the door to the clinic and deposited Nina quite gracelessly onto the first available cot, then sat on its edge. The sole healer was tending to another patient, a woman sporting a large gash on her arm, but he put up five fingers to indicate how long the wait would be. Nina recognized the healer's messy auburn hair; it was Sonya's flirtatious friend who had an identical twin brother. '_Tommy, I think... or Timmy...'_

The white, sterile walls of the rooms morphed into a technicolor canvas. The vivid colors bounced and blended; the movement made Nina feel ill. She rolled onto her side, closed her eyes, and concentrated on taking deep, even breaths. The nausea gradually subsided.

The clinic door opened and heavy footsteps advanced. "Eric, do you have an explanation for why you are here, _idling_, instead of in the training facility?" Nina recognized Max's threatening voice, and she strained to hear Eric's reply.

"Sir," Eric cleared his throat. "I had to bring an Initiate to the clinic."

"I see," Max didn't seem appeased. "Remember to keep diligently working on your… special project. I expect a full report at the end of next week."

Eric hesitated before answering. "Yes, sir."

Max's footsteps retreated from the cot, but before he left the clinic, he said one more thing. "And Eric?"

"Sir?"

"Don't get too attached to the girl." The clinic door clicked shut.

Nina snapped open her eyes and turned to Eric. Their eyes locked. Each waited for the other to look away first, and when neither did, the tension between them heightened. Nina simultaneously loved and hated the way Eric made her feel. He was all hot and cold, fire and ice, and she never could tell what was running through his mind. She felt a pull towards him. She wanted to explore his mind and body in a way no one else had before. '_Does he feel the same?' _She nibbled on her bottom lip in contemplation, causing Eric to break eye contact. His grey eyes shifted down, taking in the curvature of her lips.

Light steps approached the bed, indicating that the healer was available.

"Thomas," Eric addressed him curtly. "This is Marina Jorgenson. She's an initiate, and she may have eaten an apple laced with a psychedelic compound."

"Yea, I've met Nina!" Tommy flashed Nina a grin and clapped his hand on her bare knee. "How ya' feeling?"

Nina returned a tentative smile. "Aside from intense hallucinations… I guess I feel ok."

"Alright, well let me examine you. It shouldn't take long." He pulled out a stethoscope and brushed Nina's hair away from her neck. As he did so, his icy fingers brushed her collarbone. '_Did he do that on purpose?'_

Eic frowned. "This really isn't necessary."

"It's standard protocol." Tommy inserted the earpieces into his ears and placed the chestpiece on Nina's sternum. When the cold metal touched her skin, Nina shivered. Frost radiated from her chest to the tips of her toes. Tommy listened for a few moments and then removed the device. "Your heart is beating very rapidly," he winked. "I wonder why that is?"

Nina blushed at his openly flirtatious manner. A ribbon of stars began to dance in her line of vision, and she knew she wouldn't be lucid for much longer.

"You need to run a chemical panel on this apple, not perform a fucking physical examination." Eric's voice was lethal.

Tommy ignored him and smirked. '_Is he purposely provoking Eric?!' _Nina thought. Tommy beamed a light into her eyes, and the sudden brightness made her vision go blank. "Wow, your pupils are super dilated," he stated.

As the glare from the light receded, a swirl of gold pulsated before Nina. She reached her hand up and swatted at the spiral but it bobbed back into place. "Ugh," she moaned, and stood up unsteadily.

"We're leaving," snapped Eric. "Run a fucking drug panel and report to me immediately with the results." He wrapped his hand around Nina's wrist with a gentleness that didn't match the intensity of his voice and pulled her out of the clinic.

The sudden motion disoriented Nina and she staggered to the side. Eric carefully lifted her into his arms and began to walk quickly away from the clinic.

Nina felt utterly defeated. '_I should be training right now with the other Initiates. This is an enormous waste of time.' _Disappointment blazed through her, torching her skin. She swept at her arms desperately until the feeling faded.

"You okay?" Eric asked gruffly.

"I'm _fine,_" she growled. "Everything is just dandy."

He set her down on her feet in the corridor and ushered her into the tattoo shop. "You don't have to be such a bitch all the time." The shop was bustling with customers today; a sign on the door advertised discounted tattoos.

Nina pouted. "Who are you to talk? When are you ever _not _an asshole?"

Eric motioned for Sonya to come over and glared at Nina. "So I'm an asshole even when I'm babysitting you?"

Nina seethed as Sonya approached. "I don't need to be _babysat._"

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Sonya had to raise her voice to be heard over the chatter of clients and the whizzing of tattoo guns. She halted in front of the bickering pair and crossed her arms.

"Nina is tripping out right now," Eric explained. "I need you to supervise her for a few hours."

Sonya quirked her eyebrow. "You gave her Peace Serum again? And I can't, I'm busy running the shop - can you not see how hectic it is in here? I can't watch her."

Nina stomped her foot angrily. "I'm standing right here, you know, you don't need to speak about me in third person!"

They both ignored her.

"I didn't give her anything," Eric answered. "I think someone laced her food with a tranquilizer. And I can't watch her either, I don't have the patience to deal with this bullshit."

Nina's line of vision became clouded with a tint of red fury. The floor beneath her seemed to quiver. '_I'M RIGHT HERE!' _she screamed in her mind in frustration.

Sonya stretched her arms up lazily. "Why don't you just leave her in the clinic? I think Tommy is on duty today."

"That's exactly why I'm not leaving her in the clinic," Eric glowered. "I don't … like him."

Sonya grinned. "I wonder why-"

Nina snapped. "Fuck _both _of you. I'm not a child - I'm capable of looking after myself." She stomped out of the tattoo shop, her emotions boiling over. Her feet burned like she was walking on embers and a fire ran through her core. The intensity of the heat made her feel ill. As she marched down a random corridor, she begged the drug to leave her alone. '_It's not real, it's not real, it's not real,' _she repeated the mantra in her head.

It didn't work. Flames licked at her skin; she knew the fire wasn't real, but the pain _felt _real. Dribbles of sweat trickled down Nina's arms. The ache spread out from her core, and the sudden intensity caused her to double over and dry heave. She stumbled forward, looking for something, anything, that would relieve her of the pain.

She found a small alcove near the chasm just as the flames engulfed her. Her mind exploded with crimson sparks, and bursts of heat licked at her skin. She fell to the floor as the conflagration consumed her.

Nina rolled up into a small form, squeezing her body together into the space provided by the dark alcove. Time slipped from her grasp. Hours or minutes passed. The fire gradually receded and a welcoming coolness replaced the pain. Nina closed her eyes as lethargy filled her mind. Her shirt, wet with sweat, stuck to her skin and cooled it. Her limbs were like stone, heavy and difficult to move.

The scent of evergreen and mint ignited her senses. It was _his _scent, but she knew he wasn't there. Her mind so easily captured his essence and tried to mimic it, but it wasn't the real thing. She basked in the afterglow of the fire and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

She awoke to the feeling of someone grabbing her ankle, twisting it tightly. She attempted to cry out in pain and kick her foot away, but her muscles were paralyzed. She questioned momentarily if this was real or not - her doubts disappeared the moment she began to be moved by the unidentified force. She was dragged slowly, painfully across the cavern floor. Her shirt rode up, and the gravel on the ground scraped the skin on her back. The back of her head thudded on the uneven floor.

The roaring sound of the waterfall alerted Nina that her inert body was being lugged towards the chasm. Her mind ignited in panic. _'STOP_!' she shouted in her mind. She tried to break the invisible chains that surrounded her body. It was futile. She tried to force her eyes open. If she could just see who was doing this to her... Her eyes remained glued shut. Her captor pulled her body closer and closer to the chasm. The cold water sprayed her skin, and she shivered. The hand on her ankle let go, and the blood returned quickly to her foot, causing the joint to swell.

The captor's hand moved to her neck, restricting her throat. Her lungs heaved in vain; her breaths were short and hollow. "Just one little fall is all it takes..." a familiar voice growled menacingly into her ear. The hand left her throat, and Nina gasped for air. And then Clark was gone.

Nina struggled and failed to move away from the ledge. _'Why_,' she shouted in her head. Why did he pick her? What was his problem?

A splash of icy water from the chasm doused Nina's head. Her hands were splayed out at her side, one hand draped dangerously over the ravine edge. The sharp ledge bit into her ankle - a constant reminder of how close she was to slipping. Tears of anger leaked out from her shut eyes. Nina _screamed_ at her muscles to move. She tried to force her body to roll away from the ledge, to safety. The distance to the bottom of the ravine was several stories, with only sharp rocks to break her fall. She wouldn't survive.

Gravity pulled her ankle down, and it slipped over the edge. Nearly half her body now hung perilously over the ledge of the Chasm. Fear filled her mind, clouding her judgement. It wasn't a fear of death, no - it was a fear of lost chances and missed opportunities. Images ran through her mind, tormenting her. Would she never see her father again? Would her mother's sweet lullaby ever again serenade her? Would she never see the glowing smile on Maddie's face, never laugh again with friends? And then Eric came to her mind. She had never confessed to him how she felt, and now she never would.

In one massive, straining effort, Nina lunged her body up and rolled away from the ledge of the chasm. The invisible links that had chained her broke, allowing her to regain control of her body. She sat up on her knees and breathed in deep, sharp breaths. Her body was covered in scratch marks, bruises, sweat, and dirt, but Nina was just happy to be alive. After a few moments, her thoughts turned from relief to revenge. '_You won't get away with this, Clark,' _she thought. '_I won't let you.'_ She began to plot her plan...

"Nina!" A loud shout broke her thoughts. She looked up to the source of the sound and saw Sonya running towards her, Eric trailing closely behind.

Sonya stormed up to Nina, fury evident in her expression. "_Where_ _the hell_ have you been?! We've been looking everywhere for you; I had to close the shop!" Her voice quivered with anger and concern.

Nina opened her mouth, but the pain in her throat prevented her from answering. She coughed and sputtered.

Eric crouched down and lifted Nina's head. He inspected her throat then narrowed his eyes menacingly. "Someone's choked her," he told Sonya, who gasped. He gave Nina a sip from his water bottle, then helped her to her feet.

Eric and Sonya walked on either side of Nina, each helping to support her weight. They talked to each other in low, rapid voices. Nina couldn't muster the strength to pay them any attention. Her body and mind were weary. Swirls of colors at the edge of her vision warned of an oncoming hallucination.

Eric unlocked the door to his flat, and Nina and Sonya followed him in. They guided Nina to sit on the couch.

"Nina, don't speak. Your throat is injured and needs to heal. We're just gonna ask you some questions, all you have to do is nod 'yes' or 'no,'" Sonya explained.

Nina nodded, indicating that they could proceed.

"Are you seriously injured?" Eric asked.

Nina shrugged then nodded 'no.'

"Did someone hurt you?" he asked.

She shrugged.

"Who hurt you? Tell me." His voice was low and deep and _angry_.

She took the water from Eric's hands, took a sip to ease her throat, and then answered. "I'm fine." The words came out in a rasping squeak. She cleared her throat and repeated herself. "I'm fine. Nothing happened." '_Nothing I can't handle by myself,'_ Nina added in her mind.

"You have a handprint-shaped bruise on your throat and scratches all along on your back. Bull-fucking-shit no one hurt you," Eric growled.

"Leave her alone, Eric, she obviously doesn't want to talk about it," Sonya stated. Nina shot her a small smile in gratitude. "I'm so sorry to be leaving right now, but I have to get back to the shop. Let me know if you wanna talk, ok?" She gently squeezed Nina's shoulder and then left.

The door clicked shut. The sudden silence was deafening. Eric crossed his arms, his muscles tight and tense. "I want to know what happened."

Nina sighed. "There's nothing to talk about, Eric. I'm fine. And I don't want to burden you with having to _babysit _me, so I'm leaving." She stood and made to leave.

"No," he snatched her arm, his fingers gently enclosing her wrist. "Stay."

Nina searched his eyes carefully, looking for any signs of uncertainty or pity. She saw none. "Whatever," she shrugged. "I'll stay."

He let go and entered his small kitchen. "Try not to use your voice. You need to let your throat heal."

As Eric prepared the kettle, Nina approached the bed. It was unmade, as usual. A hint of color caught her eye; a discarded, blue t-shirt lay crumpled up beneath a pillow. She smelled it to see if it was fresh. It smelled faintly of soap and evergreen, but was otherwise clean.

She picked up the shirt and entered the bathroom. Once inside, she grabbed a fresh towel from the linens pantry and undressed. Her black shirt was in tatters and her shorts were stained, but the rest of her clothing was intact. She examined herself in the mirror. A bruise blossomed over her throat and ankle, and her back was covered in scratches and dried blood. Her hair was tangled and dirty. Anger seeped through her pores and frustration sent an electric shock down her spine. Nina forced herself to take deep, even breaths. '_I will not let Clark get the best of me.'_

Upon her approach, the glass door to the shower stall opened automatically. '_Must be motion-detection technology…'_ Inside the stall was a panel with numerous options. She selected a warm temperature, and played around for a few minutes, testing out the different water flow options. '_They should install these in the initiate dorms,_' Nina thought. She guessed that Erudite must have invented this technology, and wondered if Eric knew the engineering mechanism. He was so eager to detach himself from his past, to deny any affiliation with his former faction…. yet Nina sensed the Erudite in him. He was too intelligent and assertive to be a mere guard in Dauntless, he was a step above the rest. And he had kept a t-shirt from his old faction. '_I wonder why he did that…'_

Nina washed her body and hair, taking care to gently detangle the knots with her fingers. The soap smelled of evergreen and mint; she remembered running her nose along Eric's neck, taking in his scent, and her heart fluttered. She recalled her thoughts from earlier, when she had come alarmingly close to falling to her death in the chasm. '_I have to let him know how I feel…'_ She nervously bit her lip. If she was Dauntless, then what was she so afraid of?

The hot water cascaded over her in waves, sending shivers of pleasure down her back. Ribbons of blue and gold danced at the edge of her vision, and the walls of the bathroom seemed to pulse. Nina's soul detached and drifted away; she felt herself looking down at her body. She studied herself in awe. Her physique was lithe and sinewy; her skin had new scars that she hadn't had before Initiation. She felt strong, beautiful, and in awe at how far she had come over the past month. Training had been brutal, but her new muscles proved it was worth it. Nina felt she could conquer anyone, and no one could stop her - least of all Clark. A feeling of complete euphoria vibrated within her as her soul reconnected with her physical body, and she felt at peace with herself.

She dried off and slipped on her undergarments and Eric's t-shirt, which hung hung loosely on her frame. She studied herself in the mirror. The blue shirt made the green in her hazel irises stand out, and she could only imagine how the color would bring out the pigmentation in Eric's icy eyes. She towel dried her hair then stepped out of the bathroom.

Eric was seated at his kitchen bar on a stool, his back facing her. Nina approached him quietly and had a sudden desire to touch him. She ran her fingers lightly down his back and he stiffened; she immediately drew her hand away and leaned against the counter beside him. He nudged a steaming mug towards her. She took it gingerly in her hands and basked in the herbal aroma. The hot tea soothed her sore throat.

Eric appraised her clothing choice. "You have an affinity for wearing my clothing…" he fingered the helm of the shirt.

"Well, my other shirt was ruined. You don't mind, do you?"

Eric frowned. "No, I don't mind. You look-" he paused momentarily. "This was my father's shirt."

Nina's eyes widened. "Oh, Eric, I'm sorry, I can take it off!"

He hushed her. "It's fine." He placed his hands on her hips and twisted her so that her back was to him. Her skin sizzled where his hands were in contact. He lifted up the helm of her shirt, revealing her back. He studied it for a moment. "Go lie down," he commanded.

Nina complied. She lay down on the bed and breathed in the calming scents of pine and mint. Eric sat on the edge of the bed and pulled up her shirt. Nina was acutely aware of the fact that her lower body was nearly completely exposed, save for her panties. He rubbed a gel into the skin of her back, and the cooling sensation numbed the pain from her scratches. The pleasure radiated down her limbs, and her vision erupted in a burst of pastel colors. '_This is heavenly,_' Nina thought.

He finished rubbing in the aloe and Nina sat up. "Thanks…" She paused to contemplate. "Look, I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass. You could have just left me at the clinic."

Eric sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Nina, I was just… worried about you. And I didn't feel comfortable leaving you there."

"Why?" Nervousness pooled in Nina's stomach.

He crossed his arms. "Why was I worried? Or why didn't I leave you with Thomas?"

She shrugged. "Both, I guess."

"I don't know," Eric stated as he stood up.

Nina frowned. "Okay."

"Why are you asking anyways?" Interest gleamed in his eyes.

"I don't know," she mimicked. '_Because I'm trying to figure out if you feel the same as I do...'_ she thought. "Never mind, it doesn't even matter." She strolled to the bar and pulled herself up onto the counter. She desperately tried to think of a way to change the subject to release the tension between herself and Eric. "So, uh, did Tommy ever get back to you?"

"Yes. The drug panel confirmed my suspicions. Your apple was laced with a high dose of Peace Serum," he approached Nina and placed his fists on the counter on either side of her knees. "Now, do you know anyone who is aware of your … unusual physiological aversion to Peace Serum, and who is out to get you?"

She lied unflinchingly. "Nope." She was highly aware of his presence between her legs.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why do you insist on lying to me? You know I can read right through it."

She rolled her eyes defiantly. "Eric, I'm a big girl. I can handle it myself."

"I'm a leader. You're an initiate. It's my _job _to know what's going on."

"Oh, right, I forgot," Nina's voice quivered. "You're just a _trainer_, you're not my friend and you don't want to be. You made that quite clear to me."

He sighed, exasperated. "That's not what I meant, Nina."

"Oh really?" She snapped. "Then what did you mean? Cause as far as I know, I mean nothing to you and I never d-"

He silenced her by tilting her head up with his palm and kissing her. For a brief moment she was in shock, unable to move, and Eric began to pull away. She placed her hand on his neck and pulled his mouth back down to hers. Their lips moved passionately, in sync with each other. Eric tucked his hand under her shirt and trailed his fingers down her back, leaving goosebumps. Nina curled her fist in his hair. His touch was like molten lava, igniting her body. She moved her lips away from his and planted kisses along his jaw to his earlobe. He moaned and tilted her head away, then moved his lips onto her neck. He sucked the skin on her neck near her collarbone. It was painful and sexy, and Nina couldn't hold back a moan. He moved his lips to her ear and breathed into it. "I want you so badly."

She grabbed the helm of his shirt and tugged up. Eric pulled his shirt off, then returned his lips to hers. Nina explored the skin on his chest and abs with her hands, her fingers trailing down to his waistline. She hooked her fingers into the belt loops of his pants and pulled him closer to her between her legs. He ran his hands slowly, teasingly, up her thighs but pulled away before reaching the apex of her legs. Desire - _need _\- consumed her. He wrapped his hands around her waist and scooted her closer to him. Nearly her whole body was in contact with his. Fire radiated in her core.

Eric's radio device went off, and Nina momentarily stiffened when she felt him reach for it, but he turned it to silent. She smiled into the kiss and felt his lips curve upwards in response. Gradually their kisses slowed to chaste, sweet kisses. Eric was the first to pull away. He trailed his nose along hers and whispered, "That's what I meant when I said I didn't want to be friends."

* * *

**Should be sailing for Nina and Eric from now on... or is trouble lurking on the horizon?**

**Loved it? Hated it? Indifferent? Let me know in a review! I'm always willing to take your suggestions for improvement :)**

**IMPORTANT A/N: Some of you brought up the question "But isn't the food in Amity treated with Peace Serum?!" Here's my answer to that: If the food was laced with Peace Serum , it would have been in very low, nonpharmacological doses - so Nina likely would not have felt the effects at all :)**

**QUESTION FOR MY READERS: Do you think I should change the story rating from T to M?**


	16. Blaze

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for **_**moderate **_**violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Blaze**

"I should go..." Nina whispered, willing Eric to contradict her, willing for any reason to stay just a moment longer. She traced her nose against his, her hands still loosely knotted in his hair. His palms rested on her waist, gripping her lightly, holding her in place on his counter.

He brushed his lips against the hollow of her neck, sending jolts of electricity through her body. "Don't," he answered, his words muffled.

Nina tightened her grip on his hair and pulled his face up to hers. She took his bottom lip into her mouth and sucked on it gently. He groaned, low in his throat, and circled his arms around her to pull her closer. "If you don't stop now," he said, brushing his lips against hers, "I won't be able to let you leave."

She allowed herself to get lost in him again. His mouth was sweet and addicting, causing her pulse to quicken. Finally she broke away with a sigh. "You know I can't stay."

He pulled away reluctantly, and Nina hopped off his kitchen counter. She ambled to his bed, where she'd placed her folded up clothing, and quickly changed out of Eric's blue t-shirt and into her tattered black tank top. On his nightstand was a well thumbed-through novel. Nina picked it up and opened it to a dog-eared page. One passage was highlighted and contained some underlining:

"_Vengeance, retaliation, retribution, revenge are deceitful brothers; vile, beguiling demons promising justifiable compensation to a pained soul for his losses. Yet in truth they craftily fester away __all else of worth_ _remaining."_

In the corner of the page, Eric had added a note scrawled with red ink: 'Is it Justice I seek, or Retribution?' The handwriting was familiar. '_Where have I seen his handwriting before?' _Nina wondered. She snapped the book shut.

She looked back at Eric, who'd taken a seat on his couch. "Just some light reading?" she asked him, curiosity bubbling inside her.

He tilted his head and looked at her carefully. "Something like that," he answered. The hungry look in his eyes, his lust for her, her lust for him… it was dangerous.

She nibbled on her bottom lip nervously as she approached him. "Is this a bad idea?"

"I don't know," he stated, his icy eyes appraising her, making her stomach flutter in a good way.

Nina's knees brushed his as she looked down at him. Her throat tightened as she revealed her concerns. "I don't want you to get in trouble, Eric. What would happen if Max found out? What about your promotion, your career, your goals…?"

Eric stood to his full height so that now he loomed over her. His stature was imposing and menacing and strong yet he cradled his palm against the nape of her neck ever so gently. "I don't know, Nina," he repeated, his eyes searching hers. "I thought I cared about those things, but you make me question everything I thought was important."

She stood on her tippy toes and brought her mouth back up to his. Eric pulled her close, molding her body against his. Desire coursed through her veins, clouding her ability to think. This time he pulled away first. He slid the pad of his thumb over her full lower lip in a caressing stroke. "We have to be careful," he admitted. "At least until you pass Initiation."

"If I pass," she corrected him with a small smile.

He furrowed his brow. "Don't be ridiculous, Nina. Of course you'll pass."

She pulled back from him sharply, a frown forming on her face. "Of course I'll pass? You don't know that yet. And you better not influence my scores in any way."

He tightened his grip on her arm, almost painfully, and looked down at her with a serious expression in his steely eyes. "I wouldn't. You don't need any extra help. You're a natural fit for Dauntless."

She assessed his countenance and knew he was telling the truth. "I just want to prove that I can get into Dauntless on my own," she explained. She grinned to lighten the mood. "This should be interesting."

Eric crossed his arms as she walked away. "What will be?"

She winked at him as she opened the door. "Trying to keep our hands off each other over the next few weeks."

* * *

Nina hummed a popular Amity song as she left Eric's studio flat. Her body buzzed from the memory of his intimate touch; her lips tingled, craving the feel of his lips on hers again. A growing doubt gnawed at the back of her mind… and she suddenly remembered how she'd recognized the handwriting. She had seen it in Max's office, in the files she'd illicitly skimmed through. She briefly wondered what was the meaning of it all, but she forced the thoughts of war and political instability out of her head.

Just as the door clicked shut behind her, she ran - literally - into Four, who was pushing a cart piled with large, stacked boxes. He looked at her, looked at Eric's door, and looked back at her. He quirked his eyebrow momentarily and then continued along his path.

Nina gave a nervous laugh and walked alongside him, trying to match his long strides. "It's, uh, it's not what you think…"

Four snorted. "Nina, you _severely _overestimate the extent to which I care about what you do with your personal time."

She smiled hesitantly. "Ok, cool…" She continued to walk alongside Four, who ignored her. "So, what are all these boxes for?"

Four shrugged. "Just weekly supplies." His footsteps echoed in the cavernous hallway.

Nina waited for him to continue, then realized he wasn't planning to. She prompted him by asking, "What kind of supplies?"

"Bandages. Processed food. Detergent. Things like that." Four led her through winding corridors that led down to the lower levels of Dauntless, where the storage rooms maintained items at a naturally cool temperature.

Nina felt overwhelmed with excess energy and a need to do something, _anything_. "Can I help you?"

Four gave her a sidelong look. "Sure. But don't expect me to add extra points to your score." He used his authorization card to gain swipe access to the storage room.

Nina rolled her eyes as she followed him inside the dark room. "I didn't expect anything! I can't believe you'd think that about me." She fake-pouted.

Four cracked a smile upon seeing the ridiculous expression on her face. "Sorry. Sometimes I expect the worst in people. It's a terrible quality." He hit a switch then waved his hands around to trigger the motion detector to turn the lights on.

For the next thirty minutes, Nina helped Four distribute boxes to various areas of the storage facility: Medical Equipment, Food Inventory, Armament, Linens, and so on. Her heart did a flip as she remembered what Maddie's father had told her about Amity provisions: "_The rations are getting smaller and smaller each week." _She wondered if it was the same case here in Dauntless, but she didn't know Four well enough to ask without seeming suspicious.

By the time Nina and Four were down to the last box, Four had considerably loosened up. Nina had him chuckling - albeit quietly - at her jokes and antics, and his expression was markedly less tense. "You know, I like this side of you," she told him.

He smirked playfully. "You didn't like me before?"

She rolled her eyes and picked up the sole remaining box. "You know that's not what I meant." She searched the package for a label but found none. She weighed the box in her hands to get a feel for what was inside. "Where do I put this one? It doesn't have a label," she told Four.

He took the box from her and sliced it open with a knife he got from his pants pocket. He opened the flaps, removed a piece of paper, then pulled out another, smaller box. It appeared to be made of metal, and its contents rattled. He skimmed the contents of the letter. "Hmm," he said thoughtfully.

"Well? What is it?" Nina peeked at the smaller box. There was nothing remarkable about it other than the fact that it was the only box, after many others, that was unmarked and unlabeled.

"Confidential. For Max's eyes only," Four shrugged and tucked the box under his arm. "I'll pass it to him next time I see him. Hit the lights, please," he told Nina. As she turned away to comply, she noticed Four stealthily slip the letter into his pocket with a sleight of hand. '_Now, that is interesting...' _she wondered.

* * *

Train. Eat. Rest. Rinse, repeat. Such was Nina's schedule for the next several days. She had lost an entire day of training and was thus a day behind the other Initiates. However, Eric had made sure she caught up. If she had worried for even a moment that he would treat her differently after they'd admitted their feelings for one another, his training techniques wiped any doubt from her mind. He trained her one-on-one with the chain for several days and he had been _ruthless. _He had pushed her relentlessly, forcing her to always be faster and stronger and _better. _Over several days of hard work, Nina had graduated from using a rope to a light chain to a heavy chain.

The end of Stage 1 of Dauntless Initiation, Physical Endurance, approached, as did eliminations. Nina _had _to make sure her scores placed her in the top ten so she could continue on to the second and final round of training: Mental Endurance. Her hand-to-hand combat scores were average but her firearm scores were exceptional, so she estimated she'd need a moderately high score in specialized weapon proficiency to avoid getting the boot. Weeks of combat training had prepared her for this, yet she was still nervous.

To make matters worse, she couldn't stop thinking about Clark. She was so angry at him, at everything he'd done to make her life miserable. He'd hidden her sneakers, tossed her mattress down the stairs, tampered with her drinking water, used slick body oil to make punching him difficult, he'd poisoned her apple with Peace Serum, and he'd tried to make her fall to her death into the Chasm. He was violent and delusional and he _frightened _Nina - though she'd never admit that to anyone. His actions were escalating and she worried that he was planning something sinister. She _had _to do something to stop him.

On the morning of the final day of training, Nina was tired, sore, and anxious. Final scores would be posted at midnight; anyone kicked out would have until morning to gather their things and leave. At breakfast, her group of friends was solemn and forlorn. The usual chatter and laughter were replaced with the sounds of chewing and clashing utensils.

Tae pushed her plate away with a grim sigh. "I can't eat anymore," she declared dourly.

"You gotta eat something," Nina told her. "You'll need your strength in training today."

Tae cocked her eyebrow and pointed at Nina's plate; it too was mostly filled with food that she had barely touched. As if to prove a point, Nina grabbed a roll and tore it into it, stuffing chunks into her mouth. In truth, she had no appetite either. Nerves threatened to make her vomit.

"Come on guys," Amir begged. "We're gonna kick ass today in training!" The forced smile on his face revealed the anxiety he attempted to cover up. Maddie sighed heavily and leaned her head against his shoulder. He bent down and whispered something into her ear, and a faint smile lit her face.

Nina looked away and inspected the other Transfers sitting nearby. Many of them looked pale and sickly. Clark alone appeared unperturbed. A menacing grin was spread wide on his broad face. He was rocking back and forth in his seat, and appeared to be muttering something under his breath. Occasionally he would dart his eyes to the empty seat beside him.

Nina narrowed her eyes at him, wishing bad things to befall him. Quentin lightly grabbed her right hand, pulling her thoughts away from Clark. She realized she'd been clutching a knife in that hand. She smiled at Quentin and dropped the knife to the table.

As breakfast came to an end, the clatter of dishware and gossip filled the room and Dauntless members began to stream out. The Initiates got up to throw out their trash and go to the training facilities, but they were halted by Max's loud voice over the intercom in the Pit:

"Initiates, form a line along the wall and await further instruction."

Nerves fluttered in Nina's stomach. She searched for Eric in the bustling crowd and caught his eye. She shot him a questioning look, and he shrugged, indicating that he knew as little as she did.

"What's going on?" Maddie asked. The group of friends lined up next to each other along the east wall of the Pit.

Nina bit her bottom lip nervously. "I'm not sure," she admitted. She began to weave Maddie's strawberry blonde hair into a braid to soothe her nerves.

Max approached the group of Initiates and they instantly quieted down. "We've made a slight revision to the Stage 1 scoring mechanism. Today, instead of continuing your training, you'll each be individually assessed by a panel of judges."

Max began pacing as he walked. The Initiates shared confused, tense looks. "You'll be displaying all three skills from your Physical Endurance training: hand-to-hand combat, target shooting, and finally, proficiency with your selected weapon." He paused for emphasis. "All your previous scores have been wiped. Today you have a clean slate. You must prove your worth during panel if you wish to continue training in Dauntless."

The Initiates instantly broke out into a chorus of angry, hushed whispers. "What the fuck, man," one boy stepped forward. "You mean all the work we've put into our scores is null and void?!"

Max whipped his hand out and slapped the boy's face. "Silence!" he yelled. The slap reverberated in the cavern and unease crept through Nina's limbs like ice. She and Maddie shared an uneasy look. "You must earn your place in Dauntless. The weak and disrespectful-" he shot a look at the boy, who cowered away "-will not be tolerated in this Faction. If you don't like the new rule," he crossed his arms and smiled menacingly, "then you can get out." No one moved. "That's what I thought. You'll be called into panel one-by-one." Then he left the Pit, Four following him. Eric shot Nina a concerned look and then followed as well.

The names were called two at a time, reminding Nina of the Choosing Ceremony. So much had changed since then, even though it'd only been three weeks. She'd was different now: physically and mentally. She looked back at her old self and saw how much she'd matured. Everything was different now. _She _was different.

Her name was called fifth, along with a Dauntless-born Initiate named Uriah. Nina's knees were trembling. Maddie gripped her hand and whispered good luck.

Uriah and Nina walked quietly through the corridor but were placed in separate panel rooms. Just before he entered his room, he turned to her with a grim smile. "Good luck in there."

"You too," she nodded, and then she was ushered into a small, bland room. One side of the room contained a large mirror. The walls and floor were all concrete, unlike the padded training rooms. Dark stains on the floor were evidence of the falls and scrapes previous Initiates had taken in this room. She gulped nervously, unsure of what to do. She looked around and then approached the mirror, which she realized was a one-way window. She jumped slightly as a voice came over the intercom in the room. "State your name."

She furrowed her brow and answered. "Nina."

"_Full _name, please." The harsh voice was female, and Nina was sure she recognized it from somewhere….

She rolled her eyes. "Marina Jorgenson."

There was a brief pause, and then the voice again: "Previous faction?"

Nina crossed her arms. "Faction before blood, right?" Her words dripped sarcasm.

The voice over the intercom repeated the question. "Previous faction?"

She marched up to the mirror and flipped her middle finger to the panelists she knew were on the other side. "My previous faction is none of your business! Who's asking anyways?"

The intercom went quiet and then a different voice - Max's - called out: "You may proceed."

Nina threw her hands up in exasperation. "Proceed with wh-"

Her voice was cut off by a grating sound. The north wall of her room was sliding upwards, revealing an identical room on the other side. In it was Uriah. He looked at her with an equally confused expression.

"Fight," came the voice over the intercom.

The two initiates looked at one another with shocked expressions. "I don't even know her!" Uriah shouted.

Nina bit her bottom lip nervously. "I don't want to fight you either."

The intercom crackled. "Fight, or be Factionless."

Uriah frowned and cracked his knuckles. "I'm sorry," he told Nina, with genuine guilt in his voice.

Nina nodded and entered a boxer's stance. The Initiates began to hesitantly circle one another. Uriah struck out at her with his fist, but she darted away. She looked over his body, trying to get an idea of his strengths and weaknesses. He lobbed out his fist once more, and she ducked just in time; his fist grazed her earlobe. A small trickle of blood began to run down her neck. Nina continued to appraise his physique carefully: his arms and shoulders were bulky, but his legs were slim. He sported several bruises and scars on his calves and thighs.

Uriah took advantage of her distraction and struck her in the cheek. She reeled back but reassumed the boxing position quickly. She thought of the advice Eric had given her about combat: "_Tire them out, Nina, and then go for the kill." _Uriah whipped out his fist once more, and she darted away. Almost immediately he swung out his other arm. Nina reared her arm up in a block, allowing her arm to take the full force of the punch. He grimaced and punched out again, this time striking her stomach before she could block his hit. She reeled over instantly as nausea rolled in her stomach, but forced herself to bite back the pain and concentrate. Rivulets of sweat streamed down Uriah's shaking arms.

He swept his hand across his forehead to brush off the sweat and Nina took advantage of his momentarily impaired eyesight. She kicked his leg in the spot where he had a large, fresh bruise and he yelped. Then she swept her leg under his calves, and he fell onto his back with a thud. Instantly, Nina pinned him down onto the concrete. He grappled with her, attempting to push her off. She slammed her elbow down into his face and heard his nose crack. Blood gushed out onto the floor as he groaned in pain.

"Enough," came the voice over the intercom again. Nina got up and offered Uriah a hand up.

"_I'm sorry_," she mouthed at him, with her back to the mirror so the judges wouldn't see. Uriah nodded in understanding, shook her hand respectfully, then went back into his room. The wall slid back down so that Nina was alone again. She quickly assessed her injuries: a small cut in her ear, a bruised and aching cheek, and a cramping stomach. Her upper arms were bruised and bleeding from grappling with Eric, and she could feel weakness begin to set into them.

Almost instantly, another wall opened. In the next room was a rack of guns and hanging target was suspended from a rail in the ceiling. As soon as Nina entered the room, the target began to move. It darted back and forth at different speeds, and swung from a mounted pendulum mechanism. She examined the selection of guns and chose a semi-automatic rifle. She stood several feet back from the target, took a deep breath, and began to shoot.

Her first shot missed the target entirely and ricocheted off the back wall of the room. She cursed under her breath and shot again. Her next three shots hit the bullseye cleanly. She turned back and replaced her rifle with a revolver. She winked at the mirror, knowing that she was being watched, and turned her thumb upwards to indicate she wanted a faster speed. The target began to slide faster, darting to and fro and changing direction without warning. She straightened out her arms in front of her and planted her feet firmly onto the ground. This time her bullets did not hit the center of the bullseye but she managed to get several shots very close. Then the target stopped, and Nina put the guns back into the rack.

She returned to the main panel room, shaking and out of breath. Shooting always exhilarated her but she was nervous about what would come next. Another door in the room opened, and Eric stepped in. Nina gasped and heart started racing. She opened her mouth to say something, but Eric mouthed at her: "_Don't. They're listening._" She gave a small nod to indicate that she understood.

He tossed her a chain; in his other hand he gripped his own chain. These chains were very different from the ones he'd been training her with, for these chains were heavier, and instead of having two blunt tips, they had sharp, dagger-like points on one end. Nina clutched her chain and took a deep breath.

The intercom crackled. "Begin." Instantly a timer began counting down from sixty seconds.

She and Eric circled each other. Blood pumped loudly, like a drum, in Nina's ears. Her muscles, weak and tired from fighting Uriah, protested the substantial weight of the chains. "_51 seconds." _She forced the pain out of her mind. Eric lashed out at her, and Nina deflected the hit with her forearm. He quickly whipped out the chain again, this time striking her left leg. She scowled and retaliated, aiming at his arm. He ducked it easily. "_43 seconds."_

"Come on, Nina," Eric said in a low voice so that the judges wouldn't hear. "Hit me."

She lashed out the chain and the sharp end tore at Eric's bicep, leaving a small gash. Her heart ached but she couldn't let the Judges sense her weakness for him. "_37 seconds." _They continued to circle each other. Nina anxiously awaited his next move. Eric shot out the chain like a cobra; it hit her directly in the chest, and the dagger end ripped a hole through her top. "_29 seconds." _Nina lunged forward, whipping her heavy chain out, but Eric ducked and returned a strike that slammed into Nina's thigh. She grimaced in pain.

Her legs were quivering and her heart was racing. She tried to force herself to focus but her head felt light. Eric's chain lashed out at her and skimmed the top of her shoulder, dragging cloth with it. "_17 seconds."_ His chain flew at her again and this time she managed to dart away in time. She instantly swung her chain forward, this time with the blunt end, allowing the chain to deliver a weak blow to Eric's ribcage. "_9 seconds." _He dropped the chain and punched towards her face with his right arm. Nina wrapped her chain quickly around his arm, stopping the hit and allowing the chain to absorb the blow, just as he'd taught her. "_0 seconds."_

Nina wanted to collapse right then and there but she forced herself to stand strong. Eric nodded at her once curtly and then returned through the door he'd entered. The intercom crackled for one last time: "Thank you, Marina," said the familiar female voice. "That is all."

* * *

Nina walked quietly back to the dormitory, her heart still racing. Sweat made her shirt stick to her skin. She longed to see her friends but they were still in the Pit awaiting their turns with panel. The dormitory was quiet and empty when she arrived. She took advantage of the empty lavatory and enjoyed a long, warm shower.

As the hot water beat down on her shaking arms, Nina felt her heart beat gradually slow down. She washed off the sweat and grime and felt refreshed. When she stepped out, she found Maddie sitting on her bunk.

Nina wrung her wet hair with a towel. "How'd you do?" She looked up at her friend who was reclined comfortably in the top bunk.

Maddie shrugged and looked ahead expressionlessly. "You?"

Nina shook her head. "I don't know. I really don't know." She changed into fresh clothing and started to stretch.

Maddie combed through her hair absentmindedly. "You know what sounds fantastic right now?"

Nina cocked her eyebrow. "What?"

"Wine," Maddie smirked.

Nina sighed. "That does sound wonderful." She looked around the empty dormitory and her eyes lit upon Clark's bunk. She tiptoed over to the bed and started rifling through his possessions.

"What are you doing?" Maddie whispered at her harshly.

Nina waved her hand dismissively as she found what she'd been looking for: Clark's notebook. She clutched it and quickly ran back to her bunk.

"What are you gonna do with that thing?" Maddie said with an accusatory tone of voice.

"This is what I need to prove everything that Clark's been doing to me," Nina explained with wide eyes. "I have no evidence of all the things he's done to me. I need this!"

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Why does this sound like such a terrible idea?"

Nina plopped down onto her bottom bunk and opened the notebook. She leafed through the pages. The first few pages chronicled the first week of training. She skipped several pages and found the most recent entry. The difference in handwriting was astonishing. Clark's handwriting had severely deteriorated over the past three weeks, and his diary entries had regressed. The initial entries were comprehensible but his latest entries appeared to be the rantings and ravings of a lunatic.

Nina gasped as she read through the entries. It was obvious to her now that Clark was completely mentally deranged. '_How could I have been so blind before,' _she thought. '_This is exactly-'_

Nina's internal monologue was interrupted by a sudden movement in the bed. It happened so quickly. First, there was nothing. Then a movement in the comforters. A snake coiling through the sheets. It lashed out, its fangs gleaming in the light. It bit Nina, then slithered underneath the bed.

Shock. Confusion. Then pain. The worst pain she'd ever experienced in her life. Screaming filled her ears, screaming that seemed to split her head open. It was her own voice. And then she blacked out.

* * *

**Loved it? Hated it? Let me know in a review! I really appreciate your constructive criticism.**

**The quote about revenge is borrowed from R.E. Goodrich's novel _The Tarishe Curse._**

**Also, shout out to _The Hunger Games _novel, which partially inspired this chapter.**


	17. Frigid

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for _moderate _violence, language, and sexual themes. Please review; I'd love to read your feedback.**

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**Chapter 16: Frigid**

Nina's pained scream broke the quiet of the dormitory and caused Maddie to jolt out of bed. She stared down, stunned, at the horror unraveling before her eyes. A large mottled snake had clamped its jaws onto Nina's outer thigh. Nina's mouth formed a silent 'O' and the color instantly drained from her face. After several long moments, the snake let go and slithered away. Nina was white as a sheet as she stared down blankly at her wound; the snake's fangs had made two small incisions, about an inch apart. "Well, that hurt," she said in a small, stupefied voice.

Maddie's brain seemed to be functioning in a muddled, slow haze as fear spread through her veins like ice water. Just as the reptile began to move towards the dark, cool space beneath the bed, Maddie snapped into action. She jumped down from her top bunk and slammed her heel directly onto the center of the snake, causing its guts to gush outwards. Thick blood and putrid bile sprayed in all directions onto Maddie's bare ankles and Nina's exposed thighs. Thinking quickly, Maddie ripped a pillow out of its case and shoved the disgusting, dead creature into it. She rapidly tied the end of the case into her belt loop and knotted it off.

"Nina, we have to get you to the clinic," Maddie said, turning to her friend.

Nina's eyes flashed away from her injury to Maddie's face. She nodded weakly in response.

Maddie hesitated for a moment and then quickly grabbed the small notebook that Nina had been holding in her hands - the only evidence of Clark's malice and insanity - and shoved it in her trouser pocket. "Ok, let's go."

Nina groaned as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Help!" Maddie cried out as she bent down to scoop her arm under Nina's armpit to help lift her to her feet. The two friends waddled slowly to the door, Nina struggling to move her legs and Maddie finding it difficult to bear Nina's weight.

Maddie cried for help once more as they crossed the threshold between the dormitory and the hallways. Nina's body was slick with sweat, and she slipped a little from Maddie's grasp. "It fucking hurts…" she whimpered pathetically, a cry of pain escaping her lips.

Maddie shivered and felt goose bumps run up her arms. "It's going to be ok, Nina." Tears welled in her eyes. She could hardly believe her own words.

Maddie heard footsteps rushing from around the corner and was relieved to see Tae rush forward to help. Tae momentarily stared at the two girls, her mouth agape, unable to comprehend and unsure of what to do. At that moment, the color drained from Nina's face and her body slumped forward as she lost consciousness. Maddie's knees buckled under the sudden weight of Nina's languid body.

"Grab her legs, quickly," Maddie commanded. Tae nodded and hauled up the lower half of Nina's inert body into her arms while Maddie rearranged her hold on Nina's torso. The two girls moved as rapidly as they could down the hallway towards the clinic, stumbling awkwardly with the weight divided between them.

"What happened?" Tae asked, nearly breathlessly.

Maddie felt her chest begin to clench painfully and could garner enough breath for only one word: "Snake," she stated simply. She shook her head '_no' _at Tae's inquisitive look. "I don't know." Her heart had begun to tighten in a familiar throb that was a warning to Maddie that she was starting to overexert her body. _Not now, _she thought. _I can't stop now. _In spite of the cool air within the cavern, Nina's body was producing copious amounts of sweat in response to the snake bite, which made it difficult for Maddie and Tae to kept a hold of her body.

When they finally arrived to the clinic, Tae swung open the door with a forceful kick and the girls filed in and dropped Nina's body onto the first available cot. Amir was inside being treated for a minor facial abrasion by a healer-in-training. When he and the trainee noticed the commotion, they immediately rushed forward.

The healer-in-training's hands shook as she lugged Nina into an upright position on the cot with Tae's help. "What happened," she asked, looking to Maddie for answers. Maddie's eyes went wide in disbelief, as the horror of the situation began to fully register in her mind. "She was bitten by a snake… this huge, ugly snake…." She subconsciously patted the pillowcase that was tied to her belt loop to confirm that the creature was still there. She failed to notice that the reptile's blood had SEEP ed through the thin cotton cloth and left a trail of red droplets all along the corridor to the clinic.

"A snake?!" The healer shot her a disbelieving look. "Are you sure it wasn't something else that cut her, like glass? There are no snakes in these caverns!"

"Yes, a fucking snake," Maddie snapped. She ripped open the pillow case and tossed the bloody snake onto the floor as proof. "Look at her leg - do something!"

Amir grabbed Maddie's right hand, his grip tightening almost painfully as he took in the ghastly sight. The snakebite was an open wound with blood and green liquid beginning to seep out. Maddie clutched Amir's hand in despair. "Go get Eric, please, and hurry," she requested, squeezing his hand in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. He nodded, brought her hand up to his mouth and lay the lightest of kisses on her knuckles, then rushed out of the clinic.

Nina sat up suddenly, a wild and confused look in her eyes, and leaned over the side of the cot. She briefly vomited a foul mixture of bile and water then lay back down and passed out once more. The healer snapped on a pair of latex gloves, did her best to wipe away the snake guts that had stuck to Nina's skin, and carefully prodded at the wound. Blood continued to leak out from the incisions, creating a trail of crimson liquid that ran down Nina's leg. The healer quite uselessly attempted to clean up the blood only to find that more continued to leak out. At that moment, the door to the clinic slammed open and the sound startled Nina into a quasi-alert state.

Eric barged into the clinic, trailed closely by Amir, and brought his eyes close to Nina's thigh to examine the wound. Her thigh looked horrific; a combination of reptile guts, blood, and venom stained the entire side of her leg, and more liquid continued to ooze out of the incisions. Nina whimpered pitifully, trying her best to bite back the pain that she felt. Eric straightened up and spoke sternly to the healer. "Have you treated her yet?" He cupped Nina's cheek and tilted her face up to him so that he could pour some of his water down her throat.

"I, - treatment? I don't know," the healer-in-training replied nervously. "I'm just a trainee, all the main healers are down at the pit, treating serious injuries from Initiates leaving their final audits."

"What kind of snake bit Nina?" Eric asked Maddie.

"An ugly one," replied Nina, laughing weakly.

Maddie shrugged and nudged the snake corpse, which was lying in a poodle of blood on the floor. Eric crouched and inspected the creature. He thought for a moment, concern etched into his features. "This is some sort of rattlesnake. Definitely venomous." He snapped his head up at the healer. "Do you have any vials of anti-venom?"

Blood rushed to the trainee's face. "I don't think we keep that here, our supplies are limited." Her hands shook as she opened a pill bottle. "I can treat her for the pain, but beyond that—"

Eric knocked the pill bottle out of her hands furiously, sending painkillers flying across the room. "She doesn't need pain medicine, she needs anti-venom _immediately._" He carefully picked up Nina and tucked her into his broad arms with a tenderness that didn't match the wrath in his eyes. He looked at the healer and spoke sternly. "Call the healers at the Erudite clinic and tell them to prepare a syringe of viper venom anti-serum." He paused to look down at Nina, who had passed out again in his arms, and then snapped his head up at Maddie. "You, come with me, and bring that thing with you" he commanded, nodding his head towards the snake on the floor, then stormed out of the clinic.

Maddie bent down and grabbed some of the pills that had fallen to the floor and stuffed them in her pocket. Then she hurried after Eric, simultaneously shoving the snake back into the pillowcase, her heart protesting at the sudden stress her body was experiencing. She followed Eric silently through the corridors and was impressed at his quick pace in spite of carrying Nina's body. They ran past the Pit and up the flight of steps that led to the rooftop.

Thankfully a train was already approaching. Maddie threw the pillowcase into the first cart and hopped on, then turned to take Nina from Eric's arms. He jumped in next and helped Maddie pull Nina's body closer to the center of the cart, away from the open door.

"We need to get her into upright position," Eric instructed. "It will help restrict her blood flow from spreading the venom to her heart." Maddie sat up and pulled Nina up against her chest, so that her torso was upright while her legs were splayed out on the floor. Nina's head lolled back, resting on Maddie's left shoulder. Eric tore a strip of fabric from his shirt and wrapped it lightly around the top of Nina's thigh. "This will help further constrict the blood flow," he explained. Maddie admired his ability to remain calm in such a nerve-wracking situation.

Eric began to pace the train cart, watching the city pass by at an excruciatingly sluggish pace. "We're moving too slowly. She needs the anti-venom _now._" He slammed his fist against the wall to emphasize his last word.

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Maddie pleaded, panic bleeding into her voice. Nina came to and lifted her head feebly. She let out a faint moan of pain but didn't say anything. Maddie rubbed Nina's cold, sweaty arm in a weak attempt at comforting her.

Eric crouched down and rubbed his jaw as he stared ahead at Nina, seemingly lost in thought. Maddie fed Nina some of the painkillers from her pocket using the last of the water in her bottle. She was about to say something again to break the silence when Eric finally spoke up. "I can try to suck the venom out of her leg."

"Eric, don't," Nina protested shakily. Her voice was small and harsh; her throat was dry despite the water Eric had given her earlier.

Eric ignored Nina and scooted up to her lower body. He took her knee in his hand and lifted it to gain better access to the wound. Nina extended a trembling arm and attempted to shove Eric away, but in her current weakened state she did not have the strength to push him.

Maddie patted Nina's arm reassuringly but shared her concerns. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, can't that make you sick?"

Eric looked intently down at Nina, who was pleading silently for him to not put himself in danger. His face passed into shadow as they entered a short tunnel. He hesitated before answering, the only indication of the internal turmoil he felt. "I don't know," he replied truthfully. They exited the tunnel and light illuminated his face once more, revealing determination and hope and_ something Maddie recognized_ in his icy eyes. "But I have to try."

Eric bent down and placed his mouth over the snakebite. Instantly Nina attempted to recoil in pain, but Eric held her firmly in place. He sucked for a moment, pulled away and gagged, then spit out a dark, thick liquid onto the floor. The blood and venom permeated the dirty carpet of the train cart, forming a shapeless black stain. He brought his mouth back to the wound then pulled away again, repeating the motion several times – as Maddie tenderly caressed Nina's clammy hands, feeling quite useless – until no more venom entered his mouth. He haphazardly wiped his forearm across his mouth, smearing some dark fluid from his lips across his cheek.

Eric sat up on his knees and trembled as he pulled the steel water bottle from his utility belt. He uncapped the bottle and went to pour some in his mouth, only to find that it was empty. He dropped the bottle with a clash, crawled over to the open door, and emptied the contents of his stomach onto the rail tracks below. Maddie watched him and tried to place a word to the _something_ that Eric had displayed in his eyes as he'd looked at Nina. She realized quite suddenly that the look was the same one that Amir gave her whenever he held her in his arms.

* * *

After what seemed to be an agonizingly long time, the train finally began approaching Erudite headquarters. Nina struggled to hold onto her consciousness but was pale, clammy, and dazed. Her pupils were fully constricted. When they arrived at Erudite, there was a team of healers waiting with a stretcher. Nina was able to weakly sling herself off the train with the help of Eric and Maddie. She was quickly carted off into the Erudite headquarters, with Eric and Maddie trailing closely behind. The healers entered the compound with Nina in the stretcher without a hitch, but a guard at the door prohibited Maddie and Eric from entering. "Halt," spoke the guard gruffly. "No unauthorized visitors are permitted beyond these doors."

Maddie bristled furiously, eager to check that Nina was ok. "You better let us in, that's my-"

Eric stopped her with a motion of his hand. He gazed intensely at the guard, pulled out his identification, and handed it over.

The guard skimmed over the card, his eyes widening in alarm as he recognized the name. "My apologies, sir." He straightened his blue uniform nervously as he stepped back to let them enter.

Maddie let out a quiet giggle. "Wow, I wish I had that power over people…"

Eric appeared not to hear her voice. His long legs moved him quickly down the passage, making several turns in the eerily quiet compound. Maddie found herself missing the sound of the roaring chasm of Dauntless, of the laughs and yells that were a constant background noise in her home faction. She was beginning to struggle to keep with Eric, impatient though she was to see Nina, when they finally made it to the Erudite clinic.

Maddie gasped in shock when she saw Nina. She was wearing an oxygen mask and a healer was tending to her snakebite with a small alcohol wipe. The healer finished wrapping a strip of clean gauze around Nina's wound, then turned away with a sigh and peeled off his blue latex gloves as he approached Eric and Maddie. "She's stabilized now, but we'll need to monitor her for another 24 hours."

"But she'll be ok?" Maddie pleaded, wringing her hands.

The healer gave a modest, hesitant smile and nodded.

Maddie exhaled with relief and threw her arms around the healer to give him a tight, quick hug. He grimaced awkwardly and patted her shoulder, unsure of what to do. Eric had to bite back a laugh; he knew the open affection displayed by the two Amity transfers took some getting used to.

Maddie wiped a few small tears away from her face as she left the healer with Eric. She sat carefully on the edge of Nina's cot and brushed Nina's hair tenderly. She was still unconscious, but a healthy, rosy hue had returned to her cheeks.

The healer turned to Eric. "You saved her life by calling ahead of time and getting her here so quickly. We were able to inject her with the anti-venom right away. She may not have been so lucky otherwise."

Eric shifted his feet uncomfortably.

The healer quirked up an eyebrow and pointed to Eric's jaw, which was still smeared with a black mixture of blood and venom. "Is that…?"

"Yes," Eric interrupted gracelessly. "I sucked the venom out of her leg."

The healer's eyes widened. "Do you realize how incredibly dangerous that was for you?" He asked, exasperated. Eric shrugged and quickly glanced at Nina, but didn't answer, so the healer continued. "I'll need to treat you as well then. Go sit down."

Eric lifted the ragged hem of his shirt and used it to wipe his face. "I'm fine," he said succinctly. When the healer opened his mouth to argue, Eric threw him a dismissive look and walked away.

Eric stood awkwardly at the edge of Nina's bed, unsure of what to do. He crossed his arms and observed Maddie staring devotedly at her friend. His chest tightened as he watched her caressing Nina, smoothing out her tangled hair, and wiping her sweaty forehead with a damp cloth. It made him think of his childhood, something he had been suddenly prone to doing in the past few weeks despite the pain that memories of his mother usually brought him.

An icy voice sliced through the silence and tore him away from his thoughts. "Eric, how lovely to see you."

Eric snapped his head up and looked at the woman standing at the entrance of the clinic. Jeanine Matthews was dressed impeccably in a crisp blue suit, holding the door ajar with her left foot, which was encased in an impossibly tall stiletto. She looked pointedly at Maddie and said "Visiting hours are over. Healer Smith will escort you out."

Maddie frowned but got up and reluctantly followed the Healer out of the clinic through the door that Jeanine still held open. As she passed Eric, she stealthily snuck something into his back pocket without Jeanine noticing.

Jeanine turned to go down the hall in the opposite direction. She motioned for Eric to follow her, and when he hesitated for a moment to glance at Nina, Jeanine gave a small, disingenuous smile. "She'll be fine. Come." Her heels clicked loudly on the tile floor, the sound echoing in the vacant hallway.

Eric complied and followed Jeanine as she wove through the corridors to an elevator, where she pressed the button for the penthouse. "What a good trainer you are, Eric," she stated insincerely. "Going above and beyond to take _such_ good care of your Initiates. I'm sure you care _equally_ for _all_ of them. They must all look up to you as a mentor and leader." The threat was palpable; Jeanine had cleverly disguised her warning in saccharine words but they could not be misconstrued. She had taken note of the special interest Eric had for Nina and she blatantly disapproved.

The elevator pinged and the doors opened, revealing a pristine white office. The polished marble floors were immaculate, and a floor-to-ceiling window granted a spectacular view over the entire city. Eric could see his black-clad figure reflected back in the glass yet he barely recognized himself.

"Please, take a seat," Jeanine motioned towards Eric's customary seat on the opposite side of her desk. Eric had sat at this very desk many times, discussing and scheming with Jeanine and Max, '_taking orders,' _a small voice in his head said, but this time felt different. _He _felt different.

"So, 'Marina Jorgenson'," Jeanine continued in her clipped, professional voice. "You believe her to be Divergent, do you not?"

Eric sat stiffly in his chair and composed his facial expressions so as to not reveal his thoughts. "I'm not sure."

Jeanine flipped through a stack of papers on her desk, searching for a particular sheet. "Ah, yes," she said as she found what she was looking for. "Marina 'Nina' Jorgenson, Tae Han-Ji, and Quentin 'Q' Williams. You submitted these names 3 weeks ago as being possible Divergent infiltrates in your group of Initiates."

Eric shifted in his seat. "Yes, I did."

"Well, the next 2 weeks are Mental Endurance training followed by final examinations, so the information you glean during that period should be more than enough for you to determine once and for all who is Divergent and who is not." Jeanine returned the stack of papers to a red folder and filed it away in the sleek cabinet behind her desk. "And then you can personally… _get rid _of those problematic Initiates…" She got up from her chair and perched herself atop her desk, close to Eric. "And then we attack Abnegation."

Eric looked up at her, unfaltering in his gaze, and nodded.

"Do you remember the plan?"

He could recite the plan backwards and forwards effortlessly. "Inject the Dauntless with the Control Serum after Initiation Day. Lead them to Abnegation. Eliminate all Divergent. Eliminate Marcus Eaton. Eliminate anyone who resists." The words felt like cold slime in his mouth.

"Good boy," Jeanine patted his knee condescendingly. "You're well on your way to getting that promotion you've been wanting." _Promotion. _The promise of power was irresistible to Eric; he felt a hollow longing for control stir within him. Jeanine slid off the edge of her desk and sauntered over to the adjacent suite, slipping off her jacket as she walked. When she looked back and saw that Eric had not moved from his seat, she dismissed him with a curt tone. "You can go now."

* * *

Eric waited until he was alone in the clinic, where he sat beside Nina who was still sleeping, to remove from his back pocket the object that Maddie had given him. It was a small, black notebook with the name "Clark" inscribed on the first page. Eric leafed through the pages increasingly rapidly, his eyes widening in alarm as he approached the final pages. On the last page was a wicked doodle of a snake and of a girl with her eyes crossed out with red pen.

Eric stood up in anger, reached for the radio transceiver clipped into his belt, and contacted the emergency services channel at Dauntless headquarters. "Relay message; get Initiate Clark Harrison into locked custody; await further instructions."

* * *

**Loved it? Hated it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review!**


	18. Glacial

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes. **

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews! I really wasn't expecting such a positive response after a 1 yr hiatus so you're awesome! By the way, I've been going back and updating the initial chapters of this story; I've just been cleaning up errors and making minor changes. I've so far updated Chapters 1-6. I've made no major changes, although**** I would encourage you to re-read the Choosing Ceremony section of Chapter 1. That's all, carry on!  
**

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**Chapter 18: Glacial**

Nina woke up feeling like, well, like she'd recently been bitten by an extremely venomous reptile. She groaned and sat up, ripping the oxygen mask away from her mouth. She blinked slowly as her eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light of the Erudite clinic. She had been poked, prodded, pricked, and treated several times over the past – she glanced down at her wristwatch, which blinked _1:38 AM _– nearly 14 hours. Her injury had been wrapped and re-wrapped, she'd been given a blood transfusion to restore her platelet count, and she'd had her electrolyte levels repaired via intravenous fluid therapy. Throughout this period, which to Nina felt like the longest day of her life, she'd drifted in and out of consciousness, her body demanding rest to counteract the stress it'd been subjected to.

At this late hour, the Erudite clinic was empty. Nina called out to double check, hoping that someone would be around to show her the way out, but nobody showed up. The healers had likely believed that Nina would continue sleeping the entire night through. But after having slept for practically 12 hours in total, Nina felt surprisingly well rested, albeit groggy. All she wanted to do now was get out of this damned clinic, get _home_, and hopefully finish Clark off once and for all. Just thinking of Clark's stupid face made Nina growl.

Nina hissed as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and attempted to get to her feet. That small alone movement sent a searing pain through her leg, originating at the wound site. She braced herself against the edge of the bed and stood up, hesitating momentarily as a wave of dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. When the lightheadedness passed, she attempted to move away, only to realize that she was still connected to her IV machine. She angrily ripped the needle out of her arm and ignored the quiet beeping that immediately began to sound.

She ripped the case off the thin, shapeless pillow and began stuffing into it whatever items near her bedside she deemed useful: gauze and tape, some pain medication, and antibiotic pills. In the corner of the room was a sink; she took a moment to splash her face and rinse out her mouth, which felt dry and cotton-y. She took a final look around the clinic to make sure she hadn't missed anything important, and then quickly left.

Nina hadn't been exactly lucid when she'd been carried into Erudite on a stretcher. She now looked left and right, wondering which was the way out, and turned left on a whim, wishing for the umpteenth time that she could simply teleport back to Dauntless, or more possibly, that someone would come along and escort her out. However the hall was eerily quiet and there was no evidence of activity in this section of Erudite, which Nina quickly realized was the biomedical research wing. She passed a door labeled 'Autoclave Room,' numerous storage closets and walk-in freezers, several laboratories filled with unrecognizable scientific equipment, and a 'Radiation and Imaging' Room, yet she still saw no sign of an exit.

Nina was just about to turn back and try to find her way out in the opposite direction, when she heard a faint commotion coming from a room nearby. She approached eagerly, hoping to be able to get directions from someone, but what she saw made her blood run cold.

At the end of the sterile white hallway was a surgery room with a large window permitting Nina to see inside. Within were four people: Two male healers, a young man wearing clothing that Nina could not recognize as belonging to any of the factions, and a blonde woman standing with her back against the window recording notes in a small tablet in her hands. The young man was strapped to a bed crying, and appeared to be begging to be released. The younger healer passed the older one a syringe filled with some oddly colored liquid, then held down the patient's arm to allow the other man to inject the fluid into his vein. The man continued to struggle for a few moments, then suddenly a look of complete disinterest washed over him.

The woman moved away from the window and shined a bright light from her pen into each of the patient's eyes. She turned towards the older healer and, while Nina could not hear the exact words, said something that made the healer nod. The healers undid the straps that had held the patient down and allowed him to get up. The young man stood and looked stoically at the woman; all resistance and fear that had previously been evident in his expression had now vanished. The woman made a motion with her hand and the patient began to jump up and down in place. She held up a hand motioning him to stop, and he immediately did so, the apathetic expression on his face unchanged. She made another gesture and the patient bent down and began to lick the floor. Nina cringed in disgust. The woman laughed cruelly, and for a moment she turned her profile towards the window as she bent down to pick up a pen she had dropped. At that moment, Nina recognized who the woman was and gasped.

Nina quickly pivoted and ran in the opposite direction, desperate to escape from this clinic, which increasingly felt like a prison. Though her body was aching, adrenaline pushed her onward. She finally found an exit and barreled through it, ignoring the surprise of the Erudite guard who demanded to know who had given her permission to leave. The image of the patient screaming – and the image of Jeanine Matthews attaining complete control over him – was imprinted permanently in her mind's eye. She could not understand it. She did not want to. Feeling suddenly emotionally overwhelmed, Nina forced the image to the recesses of her mind. Right now, her priority was to rid herself of the problem that was Clark.

* * *

Nina rapped loudly on Eric's door and tapped her foot impatiently. When he didn't immediately answer, she knocked with more force. "_Come on, come on, come on. I know you're in there_," she muttered quietly to herself.

Eric suddenly pulled the door open, a knife in his hand and an alarmed expression on his face. When he saw that it was just Nina he dropped his hand and sighed, exasperated. "What are you doing here at," he glanced down to his wristwatch, "2:30 in the fucking morning?"

Nina ignored his question and barged past him into his studio. Eric shut the door behind her, appearing dumbfounded. "Where. Is. Clark?" Nina asked, emphasizing each syllable with vexation.

"You're supposed to be at Erudite recovering from a _life-threatening_ wound," Eric reminded her. "What the hell are you doing here?" He was wearing loose black sweatpants and no shirt, and his sheets were crumpled up at the base of his bed; if Nina hadn't been so one-track minded, she would have realized that she had just woken him up.

"Where is he?" She demanded to know, ignoring his question. "I just checked the dormitory and he _isn't there._"

Eric pinched his nose and grimaced. "I'm well aware. Clark is –"

Nina interrupted him, too riled up to listen. "You don't understand, Clark is the one who did this to me. I _have_ to find him, Eric! I have to!"

Eric grabbed a shirt that had been laying on the arm of his couch and tugged it over his head. Then he pulled himself onto a stool at his kitchen bar and sighed again. For the first time, Nina realized how bloodshot his eyes were. "I know what Clark did. Maddie was able to get his notebook to me as evidence." Eric rubbed the light stubble on his jaw as he explained. "He's being held in solitary confinement in a cell in the lowest level of Dauntless until we can bring charges against him tomorrow."

Nina immediately stopped pacing. "Oh," she spoke in a small voice. She'd never stopped to consider that Dauntless might have its own judicial system of sorts. She'd truly expected to have to take matters into her own hands.

Eric glared at her and marched to his fridge, pulling the door open harder than was necessary. He grabbed a beer, cracked it open, and took a large gulp.

Nina stepped closer to him and nodded at the can in his hands with a hopeful expression.

Eric downed the rest of his drink and tossed the can aside before answering. "Aren't you doped up on pain meds right now? I don't think you should be drinking," Eric stated dryly. Irritation and exhaustion seeped into his voice.

Nina rolled her eyes and pouted. "Fine, _dad_. Geez."

Eric stared down at her. "I am _not_ babying you, I'm just trying to be the voice of reason."

Nina had to stop herself from retorting. '_Why am I being such a bitch right now,_' she chastised herself. Instead she stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around Eric's neck. "I know, Eric. You're just looking out for me." She quickly pressed her mouth against his then pulled back.

Eric's stiff posture instantly relaxed as he placed his palms on Nina's waist, though he still looked down at her with mild annoyance.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Ok," answered Eric gruffly. A softness came into his eyes, smoothing away any traces of irritation in his expression.

"I mean for everything," she insisted, looking up at him studiously. "I -", she hesitated for a moment. "I owe you my _life_."

Eric nodded, still unsure of what to say.

Nina quirked her mouth up in a playful smile. "You're not very good at taking compliments."

"You're not very good at barging into peoples' rooms in the middle of the night." He smirked, "Oh wait, you're very good at that."

Nina pulled away a little and frowned guiltily. "I'm sorry, that was very –"

Eric cut her off by tilting her head up so he could kiss her. Nina closed her eyes and sighed softly into his mouth. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and nibbled it gently. His kiss warmed Nina from the inside out. She felt a sudden pang of desire for him despite the distress her body had been so recently subjected to. Eric's hands flattened on her back, pulling her closer to him. She tightened her hold around his neck, and suddenly her thigh brushed up against his and a sharp ache ignited across her leg. She pulled away with a gasp of pain and then laughed. "Sorry about that."

"Nothing to be sorry about," He stole a glance at her wound, which was wrapped with a strip of gauze, then looked intensely into Nina's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Nina shrugged. "I feel ok. A bit groggy and achy but," she pulled a small vial of pills from her pocket and shook it, "these babies work wonders."

"You're going to feel like hell in the morning," Eric told her sternly. He took the vial from her hand and read the instructions. "You need to take these with something in your stomach. But go take a shower first," he commanded her as he turned to open his cabinet.

Nina inconspicuously sniffed herself as she entered Eric's bathroom. In the mirror she saw that her leg was splattered with some residual dried blood and her hair was a tangled mess. '_Ugh, he still wants to kiss me like this?_' She propped her foot up against the sink and winced as she peeled the bandage away from her injury. There was an ugly bruise surrounding the two incisions that had been made by the snake's fangs, but at least the bleeding had tapered off. She hopped in the shower where she quickly washed herself up, taking care to be extra delicate when rinsing her wound. Despite her previous bravado, the aches and wooziness were beginning to get to her, and she knew she would need to sit down soon. After drying herself off, Nina attempted to re-bandage herself using some of the gauze and tape she'd nicked from the Erudite clinic.

Nina shivered as she stepped back into Eric's room wrapped only in a towel. She quietly rummaged through his dresser and borrowed a black t-shirt. She still had to throw on her dirty spandex shorts, but at least she didn't have to wear her sweat-soaked top.

Nina met Eric in his kitchen, where he had arranged a plate with two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She quirked up her mouth in a smile as she remembered the last time she had been in his kitchen eating sandwiches and how badly she had wanted to kiss him then. Eric crouched and inspected her leg as she chewed on her sandwich. "You did a shit job of wrapping this up," he informed her.

Nina frowned but could not answer through her mouthful of food. She watched as Eric unwrapped the gauze and then re-wrapped it more loosely. His fingers lingered on her legs as he looked up to her and explained, "You need to let the injury breathe."

His hands on her legs were doing stupid things to Nina's head. She blushed crimson and took another huge bite of her sandwich. Eric stood and uncapped the vial; he shook out one pill, which he left on the counter, and instructed Nina to take it with a full glass of water when she was done eating. Then he pulled off his t-shirt, leaving it crumpled on the floor, and walked towards his bed, where he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Nina followed Eric's directions and then put the plate and glass into his sink as quietly as she could. When she was finished she turned to stare at Eric's sleeping form, unsure of herself. Did he mean for her to go back to her dormitory, or to take his couch, or…? She nibbled anxiously on her bottom lip, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed with him and pass out.

Eric seemed to sense what she was thinking; he suddenly woke up, opening only one of his eyes, and gruffly told her to "just get in the bed already, dammit." Nina smiled and got in, choosing to lay on her uninjured side, and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

Liam and Helen Jorgenson sat stoically at their kitchen table, looking down at the tiny piece of paper in front of them. The table was littered with items, mainly canned goods and health supplies, that they'd managed to pilfer from the Amity storage rooms over the past two weeks. Liam wrote a note carefully in his minuscule print while Helen watched him, a single tear rolling down her cheek. When Liam had written the final words, "_Burn this note after reading,_" he looked up at his wife and the mother of his child. Her bloodshot eyes stared blindly ahead of her. He had been with his wife long enough to recognize that look on her face; her mind was currently far away, traveling through distant memories and perusing useless '_what-ifs_'. He wiped the tear off her cheek with the pad of his thumb, and she instantly collapsed into his arms, a sob ripping out of her throat. They sat like this for several minutes, Liam rubbing Helen's back soothingly as she trembled in his arms, until she calmed down.

Liam pushed away from the table, the chair screeching across the floor as he got up. "Come on, love," he told his wife.

She nodded and stood too, then grabbed the small, empty backpack that sat on the floor. They then began the task of choosing which items they would pack, and which they would leave behind forever as proof of the life they'd once lived. This house was nothing more than a shell of a place they'd called home; the sanctuary they'd tried to build to protect their daughter was crumbling apart. How had things changed so quickly? When had this safe haven become a war zone?

When Liam and Helen had finished packing, they trooped upstairs to the bedroom they had shared for so many years, hoping to make one of their last nights in it a memorable one.

* * *

Nina awoke with a throbbing headache; the injury on her thigh continued to irritate her, as it likely would for many more days. She groaned as she rolled out of Eric's bed, then she padded to the kitchen, her bare feet making hardly a noise on the cool floor. She shook out a painkiller and an antibiotic pill from their corresponding vials and tossed them back with a full can of beer, propriety and common sense be damned. Nina hoped that the alcohol might help take the edge off the pain.

She inched herself back into Eric's bed, trying her best not to jostle him as she settled in, and failed miserably.

Eric rolled over to face her. When Nina wished him a good morning, Eric merely grunted, tossed his arm over her waist, and closed his eyes again. Nina watched him contently for a few moments before she cheekily grinned. "I know you're awake."

Eric's eyes snapped open and he sat up beside Nina. "Since when are you so alert in the mornings?"

Nina grimaced. "I'm not. The pain woke me up, and I don't think I can fall back asleep now."

Eric frowned and pulled the covers off her to make sure her gauze was still in place. "You should take another painkiller."

"I did already," she said. She reached up and ran her thumb against his lower lip. "I'll feel better in a bit."

Eric's husky voice caused a surge of heat within Nina as he looked down at her with a lusty gaze. "Oh, I'll make sure you feel better." He placed his hands on her hips and slowly pushed her shirt - _his _shirt, truthfully - up her torso to just underneath her breasts. He bent down to kiss her smooth abdomen, and began to teasingly trace his lips upward. Each kiss scorched her skin, and Nina found herself barely able to contain a moan.

Suddenly, a loud knock sounded on the door. Eric's eyes flashed darkly. "What," he called out sharply.

"Eric, I need you at the Pit in five," answered Max, his voice muffled by the thick door. "I'm about to post the list of the Initiates that passed."

Nina instantly shot out of bed, her hands clasped over her mouth so that she wouldn't make a sound.

Eric looked at her in amusement as he replied to Max that he'd be there momentarily. He strolled to the kitchen and flicked a switch on his coffee pot.

A tremor of anxiety passed through Nina. "Oh my god. Oh my _god_. I forgot. I _fucking_ forgot." The past 24 hours had been so intense that she had completely dismissed from her mind the fact that the Stage 1 results would be posted today. This was it. If she wasn't on that list, she would be out, officially; cast out like a pariah, doomed to be Factionless.

Eric leaned against his counter and the corner of his lip twitched up in amusement. "Calm down, Nina. You'll be on the list."

Nina glared at him with her fists on her hips. "Oh, is that so? Did you write the list yourself then?"

He rolled his eyes in response. "No, but I had some influence. I'm sure you'll be on it." He turned to pour out two mugs of coffee. When he turned back to hand her a cup, she was already sprinting out the door. He sighed and set down the mugs, then laced up his combat boots so he could follow her out.

* * *

Nina jogged to the Pit, scanning her eyes in search of the list. Sure enough, in the middle of the Pit was a board with a large crowd around it. She barged her way through the throng until she was face-to-face with the list. She had a brief panic attack when she didn't see her name on the first list, but quickly realized that she didn't recognize _any _of the names because they belonged to the Dauntless-born Initiates. She turned her head to look at the Transfer list and muttered under her breath as she quickly scanned the names.

"_Q, Sebastian, Amir, Nina,_" - she grinned and continued reading - "_Alessandra, Gregory, Lana, Tae, Jackson, Clark." _

She let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled, then began to turn away. Nina frowned as she realized something. She snapped her eyes back to the list and read it again. And again.

Rage filled her as she stormed back through the swarm. At the edge of the crowd was Amir, holding Maddie as sobs wracked her entire body. Nina fumed as she looked at her friend. Her absolute _best_ friend in the _entire_ world. A woman who was brave and smart and kind and independent and _deserved_ to be here more than anyone else.

Eric strolled casually through the Pit, a steaming cup in his hand, searching for Nina, who found him first. She stormed up to him furiously and had to stop herself from knocking the mug out of his hands. "How could you do this," she seethed quietly, her voice full of anger and hurt. "How _could you?!"_

* * *

_**Loved it? Hated it? Apathetic? Let me know in a review!**_

_**This was initially going to be quite longer but I decided to split it into 3-4 chapters instead so as to not overwhelm you. Plus I was excited to update :) Spoilers for upcoming chapters -**_

_**Enjoy the peace between Eric and Nina while it lasts. We all know Eric has internal struggles with his selfishness/temper/desire for control, and Nina will soon discover something about her origins that changes everything for her. Things will be getting quite tense for the rest of this story. (I'm only about halfway through currently.)**_


	19. Ice Cold

**Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes.**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Ice Cold**

Tae pushed her way out of the crowd surrounding the newly posted Initiate lists. Her feet felt light and a huge smile was plastered on her face. She'd passed; she'd _actually _passed. Tae began searching for Nina, hoping to thank her for all her help, when she spotted Sonya lingering at the edge of the crowd. Her heart tightened momentarily. She threw Sonya a shy wave, and when the tattoo artist beamed and mouthed a _'Congrats!'_, Tae began to giddily make her way over to her.

A commotion distracted Tae and she paused in her path. A small group of armed guards had begun to collect some of the Initiates. One of them, Pamela, had to be picked up and carried away; she screeched and clawed at the guard holding her. Another, Miles, simply allowed himself to be lead out; his usually warm countenance was now pale and morose. Tae blanched and made her way quickly back to the list, which she hadn't continued reading past her name. She re-read it now to see who else hadn't made the cut. "That can't be right," she murmured to herself, a small frown forming on her face. She elbowed her way out of the mob once more, and looked for Nina.

Nina was standing there, her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her face contorted into a scowl, tears of anger running silently down her face. She followed Nina's line of vision to Maddie, who was wrapped securely in Amir's arms, whispering words of comfort to him that Tae could not hear. An intimidating guard with her hair pulled up tightly into a bun wrenched Maddie away from Amir and commanded her to come with her. Amir stood there stupidly, struggling not to cry, not knowing what to do.

"No," Nina yelled at the guard. "You can't do this!" She lifted her hands to shove the guard away from Maddie but Eric caught her wrist before she could make contact.

"Nina, stop," he ordered her sternly. "You're going to get yourself kicked out."

Nina spun away from him and clutched her wrist to her chest. "Good," she hissed at him. "I _want _to be kicked out. I _want _to be with _Maddie_."

Eric stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. "Nina, I know this doesn't make sense, but you have to –"

"No, I_ don't_ have to do anything," Nina snapped, before she turned away and ran to catch up with the guard, who was leading a somber-looking Maddie out.

"You had better stay here, Nina," Maddie stated resolutely, her mouth quivering as she struggled to stop herself from crying. She glanced at Nina and recognized the defiance that flashed in her friend's face. "Don't give me that look, I mean it. I don't want you following after me."

Nina tilted her head slowly, not understanding Maddie's request. "But we said we would stick together, no matter what." Another humiliating, hot tear ran down her cheek; she roughly swiped her sleeve – _Eric's _sleeve, she corrected herself, '_that bastard' _– across her face.

The guard paused at a set of heavy iron doors to punch the necessary codes into the keypad. Maddie gripped Nina's trembling hands. "We _will_ be together, Nina." She brought Nina's hand up to her chest and placed her palm on top of Nina's over her heart. "In here, always." She chocked back a sob. "But I will never, _ever _forgive you if you give up your dream to be in Dauntless for me."

Nina shook her head quickly, pleading silently with her eyes, struggling to express the words that would make Maddie understand. "But it's not my dream if you're not here with me. It was always supposed to be the two of us against the world."

Maddie's mouth gaped open, but she could not think of a proper answer. Instead she threw herself at Nina, embracing her tightly. "Stay. For me. _Please_. You don't deserve a life being Fact – Fact –," she could not bring herself to verbalize her own fate. "A life out _there_."

The guard opened the entry and commanded Maddie to follow her in but Nina refused to let go. "I can't let you go alone," she wailed. "We have to stick together. I have to come with you."

"That's not currently an option," said a cold voice behind her, "but we can certainly arrange your future dismissal if you're so adamant about becoming Factionless."

Nina let go of Maddie and spun around to face the person addressing her. The furious retort bubbling up in her throat vanished the moment she realized it was Max.

The metal doors thudded permanently closed behind her; Maddie was gone. Nina lifted the hem of her shirt to wipe the tears off her face. She took a deep breath and shuddered before calmly replying. "What do you want?" Her dejected words came out sounding more like a statement than a question.

"Come with me," he answered simply, then turned away without looking back to see if Nina would follow.

* * *

Nina shivered, not for the first time. The small interrogation room she was in was icy cold. She sat alone, her left elbow resting on the table with her chin propped up on her fist. The metal surface of the table was marred by countless figures and doodles and names. She took out her pocketknife to carve something in but could only bring herself to scratch in the uninspiring letter 'x' over and over again. Goosebumps prickled on her flesh but she didn't even feel them. She didn't feel anything.

Nina had silently followed Max down winding steps and long corridors until he'd deposited her in this room and left her there without explanation. She hadn't even had the energy to see if he'd locked the door behind him. She didn't care.

Memories swirled in Nina's head. _Climbing apple trees with Maddie. Slicing her palm open at the Choosing Ceremony. Saying goodbye to her parents. Maddie lying unconscious in a hospital bed. The snake biting her. Maddie dragging her out to the clinic. Jeanine Matthews torturing a Factionless patient. Saying goodbye to Maddie. Maddie, Maddie, __Maddie_.

Nina wanted to disassociate from her body. She didn't want these thoughts with her. She didn't want to be in her head anymore. She was tired of things being so confusing and difficult. When had life become this way? When had things stopped being so… easy and carefree? Had it always been this way, and Nina had just turned a blind eye to the truth? If this was the real world, Nina wanted no part in it. She wished she could shut her eyes and snap her fingers and make things okay again.

Growling in frustration, Nina flung her knife at the wall where it embedded in a crack in the grey stone. At that moment, the door opened and Eric stepped in. He looked at her but she turned her eyes down. If she looked up at him now, she felt she would be unable to refrain from yelling in his face. Or seeking solace in his arms. Or both. Eric yanked the knife out of the wall and slid it across the table to Nina, then sat in a chair across from her.

Max and Four came in next, shutting the door behind them. Four took a seat beside Eric while Max sat at the head of the table.

"I'm sure you know why we've brought you here today," began Max, looking at Nina expectantly.

Nina kept her eyes downcast and didn't speak. She flicked the folding knife in her hand open and closed repeatedly.

"_Nina_," Eric said, a warning tone in his voice.

She glanced up at him in anger, then slipped the knife in her pocket, forcefully smoothed out her expression, and looked at Max. "No, I don't."

Four leaned forward and slid Clark's notebook to the middle of the table for Nina to take. She took it from him, and her scowl was replaced by an expression of surprise. She turned to Max and quirked up her eyebrow. "Clark's trial…?"

He nodded. "We're investigating the actions he's committed against you. We need your account of the details before we can declare him guilty." He dipped his head in Eric's direction, prompting him to continue and forcing Nina to look at the man who she felt had betrayed her.

"Ultimately Clark's punishment will lie in your hands," Eric explained. "Once we reach a verdict, you'll have until nightfall to make your decision."

She inclined her head in confusion. "Decision on what?" Her body tensed apprehensively.

"Whether he lives or dies," Eric answered matter-of-factly.

For a moment Nina thought he was joking, but she saw nothing but frankness in his steely eyes. She drew a sharp breath and looked away.

"To commit a violent crime against another member of one's Faction, even an Initiate, is punishable by death in Dauntless," Max elaborated.

"Or," interjected Four, who placed his crossed arms on the table to lean in towards Nina, "you can choose to make him Factionless. Clark won't be welcome in Dauntless anymore either way, but as his victim you're responsible for choosing his fate."

Nina nodded. "If I choose to – " she paused momentarily and nibbled her bottom lip. "If I want him dead, how…?" Her unfinished question lingered in the air, its meaning understood by all.

"Customarily you would shoot him, or use another weapon of choice to dispatch him. The caveat being that the execution must be carried out swiftly and tidily." Max answered gruffly. "Alternatively you could select a Leader to perform the execution on your behalf."

Nina shut her eyes momentarily and drew another shuddering breath as she considered his offer. She opened her eyes and shook her head. "No, I don't think I could ever make someone do that for me."

Four nodded and placed a recording device onto the center of the table, his index finger lingering over the start button. "We still need your account of things, so if you're ready to begin…?"

Nina bit back a yawn as a wave of exhaustion hit her. The past 24 hours had been physically and mentally draining, and Maddie's dismissal had only – Nina pressed her fingers to the sides of her temple and stopped that train of thought in its tracks. She couldn't think of Maddie now. She had to handle one problem at a time or else the anxiety would consume her. She lowered her palms and looked forward resolutely. "I'm ready."

* * *

After Max had delivered his verdict to Clark in the interrogation room, he collected a short stack of paperwork and ordered Eric to take Clark back to his cell. Eric lead Clark down the winding stairs more forcefully than was necessary, pushing at him and yanking on his cuffs to make him move faster. When they arrived at Clark's cell, he thrust him inside and went to close the door of his enclosure.

"Your whore doesn't belong here," sneered Clark, scowling up at Eric who loomed over him.

Eric instantly reacted, shoving the boy against the back wall and wrapping his hand around his throat. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

Clark coughed and sputtered, and Eric reluctantly loosened his hold on his neck. "You know exactly what I mean," Clark taunted. "You're just blinded to the truth. That stupid bitch has no place here. I was doing you all a favor by getting rid of her."

Eric yanked the boy by the neck up against the wall then forcefully dropped him to the floor. Clark winced as he sat up, rubbing the raw skin on his neck. "That's for choking Nina," hissed Eric. "And if I hear you say one more word about her, I will come in here and kill you myself." He slammed Clark's head once against the wall for emphasis, then left the small cell and locked Clark in it.

* * *

Nina sat curled up in a ball on the ledge of the roof, her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around her legs, watching the sun begin to sink low in the sky. The orange rays melting into a haze of pink and purple depicted a scene of perfect beauty and bliss that Nina could not feel within herself; instead she felt only turmoil and dejection. She'd sat here for the past several hours after Max had reached an official verdict. The roof was the only place in Dauntless that was quiet enough for her to think. The Pit had been swarmed with partying Dauntless members, and the tattoo parlour packed with excited Initiates celebrating with new tattoos and piercings. No one seemed to notice or care that Dauntless had lost Maddie. Nina couldn't bear to hear them cheering and laughing when her best friend was absent. She tried desperately to focus her concentration on Clark, on the decision that she needed to make, but her thoughts kept wandering.

Nina closed her eyes and rested her head in her knees. She exhaled slowly and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts. For a moment she could almost forget everything, almost pretend that everything was ok, almost image that her life was carefree… but the weight of the choice she needed to make brought her crashing back down to reality. Time was running out. The silence on the roof hadn't been enough.

"You have an hour left."

Nina jolted, lifting her weary head from her knees. She twisted her neck to stare blankly at Eric for a moment then turned her back to him once more.

"You should come eat something."

Nina scoffed and opened her mouth to retort, but snapped her mouth quickly closed. She realized she hadn't eaten in nearly a day and wondered if putting some food in her stomach would help to clarify the decision she needed to make. The mere thought of killing Clark made her stomach churn, but the thought of letting him go, of letting him live after all he had put her through, made her equally sick.

She unlocked her arms from their rigid embrace around her legs and stood, wobbling slightly. Her body felt stiff and weak, and she stretched her arm up and twisted her body, relieving some of the tension in her back and shoulders. Eric had left already, leaving in place the stone Nina had used to prop open the door with.

Nina caught up quickly with Eric; by now, she could weave confidently through the corridors and staircases in the main levels of Dauntless. She padded quietly behind Eric to his room, making little noise with her feet but knowing he could sense her presence regardless. Years of training had instilled in him hawk-like hearing and vision. Nina had noticed the way he always surveyed a room carefully upon entering it, searching for possible threats, and the way he never left his back to a door. She wondered briefly if his training had made him wary of others' intentions, and if she could ever truly trust someone like that. She sighed and looked down, realizing with little interest that she was still barefoot from the morning. Nina didn't know if she'd ever get accustomed to always having to wear combat boots or sneakers. She remembered running barefoot through the apple orchards of her home Faction, laughing with Maddie, her bare feet caressing the soft grass, and wondered for the first time how much easier her life would have been if she'd stayed in Amity. Maybe she'd made a mistake in choosing Dauntless. Maybe this wasn't the place for her after all.

Nina sat on a stool at Eric's kitchen counter. He shoved a plate filled with food he'd saved from the cafeteria towards her. He looked irritated about something but Nina didn't care enough to ask why. 'He_ wants to be annoyed with _me_? Fine then,_' she thought bitterly to herself. _'I'm the only one here who has any real reason to be upset about anything. _Traitor_._' She stabbed angrily at her food, chewing it quickly, hardly caring for its taste, and suddenly realized Eric was staring at her expectantly, waiting to say something. She pushed her plate away – she didn't think she could keep much more food down anyways – and looked up at Eric. "What?"

His gaze was resolute. "I will kill him for you if you ask. You know I will. I know you've never killed anyone before, and might have qualms about doing it, but I would have no problem killing him. It's what he deserves."

Nina envisioned Eric pressing a pistol to the side of Clark's greasy head and pulling the trigger. His words implied that he'd already killed someone, maybe killed _multiple _people. She sighed and pressed her fingers against the back of her sore neck. "I don't need you to do anything for me. You've done enough as it is," she stated, her tone frosty.

Frustration flashed in his eyes. "Fine." He set his mouth in a grim line and glanced down at his black wristwatch. "Forty minutes until sunset."

Nina turned and dumped the contents of her plate into Eric's trash bin, took a moment to lace up her black sneakers, then turned to watch him. He had settled onto his couch with a book held up by his left hand, his eyes skimming quickly over the pages. Nina wrestled with the resentment she felt within, struggling to find the right words to say. She couldn't keep it in any longer. "You could have saved her," she said finally, her voice threatening to break. "You could have saved Maddie, and you didn't." She blinked away the tears of anger that burned at her eyes.

Eric briefly lowered his book, his grey eyes meeting her hazel ones. "You have no idea what you're talking about." Then he tore his glare away from her and focused once more on his book.

Nina stomped over to him. "What is so special about this damned book that you can't even –" She cut off her furious rant as she recognized the cover of the book. It was the same one she'd thumbed through several days earlier after discovering it on Eric's nightstand. The watermarks on the shabby cover indicated that the book had been read several times. She snatched the book from his hands and thumbed through it eagerly, searching for the page he'd scribbled on. When she finally found the dog-eared page, she scanned its contents rapidly. Her breath hitched in her throat; the words on this page held the answer she needed, if she had the courage to go through with her decision. She carelessly ripped the page out of the book, ignoring Eric's protests, and stormed out of his studio.

She marched down the corridors to the lower levels of Dauntless where Clark was being kept to await his punishment. A set of guards blocked the entrance to the secured area; they parted when Eric, who was tailing Nina closely, gestured to be let through with a casual flick of his hand. They entered a dark corridor that branched off into multiple other hallways with locked doors. Nina slowed to trail Eric, who knew the way. Motion-detection lights flickered on as they passed beneath them, illuminating the bland hallway.

At the end of the corridor, they reached a room that Eric opened using fingerprint detection software on a panel to the right of the door. Inside the bleak grey room were Max and Four, waiting in silence.

"You're early," stated Max, crossing his arms sternly. On a table in the corner, Four set out a variety of weapons.

A part of Nina itched to pick up the .45 or the 9mm and get this done with quickly. She stared at the weapons rack and suddenly realized she'd been standing there silently for several minutes. "I'm ready," she told the men. She swallowed hard and turned her gaze to the other side of the room. Beyond a thick wall of glass, she could see Clark sitting dejected on the cold floor, thumping his head repeatedly against the wall behind him. When he noticed her observing at him, he lifted his head and stretched his thin lips into a sinister grin that made Nina's stomach turn. She subconsciously tapped the folding knife in her pocket as if to check that it was still there.

Four approached the glass and passed his ID through a device in the wall. A panel in the wall slid up, and Clark - who had his wrists handcuffed behind his back - stumbled out. Four commanded the boy to kneel in the center of the room, and then he backed away to join Max and Eric behind Nina. She could feel the three men watching her every move

Clark glowered at Nina. She took a step forward, paused, and turned back to look at Eric. He gave her one curt nod. She exhaled apprehensively and looked forward again. She felt a trickle of sweat run down her back as she nervously smoothed out the slip of paper that she'd inadvertently crumpled up in her fist.

Her words wavered as she spoke to the hateful boy that had made her life miserable. "I want to know why you did those things to me. Why you tried to kill me."

Clark spit on the floor in response.

Nina marched up to him and grabbed him by the hair on the nape of his neck, forcing him to look up at her. "Tell me," she demanded.

"You and your cunt friend didn't fit into Dauntless since day one," he jeered at her. "You're just a useless Amity Hippie trying to be something you're not, but I see right through you." Nina's heart clenched at his words and she dropped her hand from his head, her hand suddenly feeling dirty and slimy from merely touching him. Clark's voice dropped to a sinister hiss. "You don't belong in Dauntless. You don't belong _anywhere._ Soon enough they'll see that. You'll be kicked out, just like your stupid, broken, _freak_ of a friend – "

Before Nina knew what she was doing, she had whipped out the small knife from her pocket and pressed it to Clark's throat. "Don't _fucking _talk about her," she seethed at him.

"Go on, kill me," retorted Clark, a derisive snarl on his lips. A trickle of blood began to flow beneath the sharp edge of the blade against his neck. "You pathetic loser. Everyone will realize soon enough the truth about you, just like they realized about _Maddie_." He spit out his words heatedly, inflecting Maddie's name with a tone of utter contempt.

Nina reacted immediately. She swiftly stabbed at Clark, pinning the thin sheet of paper to his earlobe with the knife. She stepped away, feeling her entire body shaking, and beheld her work. The thin blade of her pocketknife had sheared straight through the bottom of Clark's earlobe, which was now bleeding profusely. Clark sat there stunned, his mouth gaping open and his face completely pale. After an instant, the weight of the knife's handle brought the blade down, ripping Clark's earlobe completely open as it fell, clattering to the floor. The paper that had been pinned to his ear floated in the air for a moment, the sheet dotted with red droplets, and came to rest on the stone ground.

Nina turned to face the three Leaders behind her, nodded at them without uttering a word, and walked out the door, not sparing a second glance at Clark. The boy was clutching at his torn ear and staring in shock at the small pool of blood on the floor.

Max, Four, and Eric remained hushed in awe, gawking down at the pathetic, whimpering boy knelt before them. After a moment, Eric stepped forward, gingerly picked up the torn scrap of paper, and read the familiar words aloud:

"_Vengeance, retaliation, retribution, revenge are deceitful brothers—vile, beguiling demons promising justifiable compensation to a pained soul for his losses. Yet in truth they craftily fester away all else of worth remaining."_

* * *

**What did you think of the exchange between Clark and Eric, and Clark and Nina? Do you have any guesses as to what that's all about? What did you think of Nina's final decision? Did she do the right thing, or was she too violent, or not violent enough? As always, I appreciate your feedback!**

**Credit to author ****Richelle Goodrich**** for the quote from her novel **_**The Tarishe Curse.**_


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